The state of Kansas has filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, accusing the company of making misleading claims about the effectiveness and safety of its COVID-19 vaccine.
The suit, initiated by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, was filed on Monday in the District Court of Thomas County.
The lawsuit asserts that Pfizer provided false assurances to Kansas residents regarding the safety and efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine. According to the complaint, Pfizer misrepresented the risks associated with the vaccine, particularly concerning myocarditis and pregnancy-related issues.
Kobach’s office alleges that the pharmaceutical company concealed evidence linking the vaccine to these conditions.
Additionally, the suit claims Pfizer misled the public by asserting the vaccine’s effectiveness without disclosing that its protection waned over time and did not cover emerging COVID-19 variants.
“Pfizer made multiple misleading statements to deceive the public about its vaccine at a time when Americans needed the truth,” Kobach stated.
Kobach’s suit argues that Pfizer’s actions violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. The state is seeking unspecified monetary damages as part of the legal action.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added warnings about myocarditis and pericarditis, rare heart inflammation conditions, to Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines in June 2021.
Despite this, a review conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) last year found no evidence linking the vaccines to an increased risk of miscarriage.
The lawsuit also accuses Pfizer of collaborating with social media companies to censor critical speech about the COVID-19 vaccines and attempting to avoid government oversight. Kobach’s office highlighted these actions as further evidence of the company’s alleged misconduct.
In response to the lawsuit, Pfizer issued a statement to The Hill, dismissing the claims as baseless.
“We are proud to have developed the COVID-19 vaccine in record time in the midst of a global pandemic and saved countless lives. The representations made by Pfizer about its COVID-19 vaccine have been accurate and science-based. Patient safety is our number one priority, which is why we follow diligent safety and monitoring protocols,” the company stated.
Kobach’s lawsuit follows a similar complaint filed last fall by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton’s complaint also accused Pfizer of misrepresenting the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine, alleging the company’s claim of 95 percent efficacy was misleading.
Paxton further claimed that Pfizer’s actions gave the impression that the vaccine would end the COVID-19 pandemic and accused the company of using social media to silence critics, including former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.
More than 366 million doses of Pfizer’s original coronavirus vaccine have been administered in the United States, according to federal data.
An efficacy analysis released in November 2020 indicated that the vaccine was 95 percent effective against COVID-19 28 days after the first dose.
The outcomes of these legal battles could have significant implications for public trust in vaccine communications and the pharmaceutical industry’s responsibilities during public health crises.
For now, Kansas and Texas continue to challenge Pfizer’s practices, seeking accountability and transparency for the American public.