Oct 1 (Reuters) – Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Pfizer and its CEO, Albert Bourla, accusing the drugmaker of misleading consumers about the safety and effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine.
Here are more details:
• Uthmeier filed the lawsuit in state court, alleging that Pfizer told consumers its COVID-19 vaccine was safe while failing to disclose potential risks, including heart inflammation and other adverse events.
• Pfizer, according to the lawsuit, urged people to get the shot to protect others, even though the company never tested whether the vaccine stopped the virus from spreading.
• Florida has also accused Pfizer of using unfair tactics to dominate the market.
• It said the company made more than $80 billion from vaccine sales, then nearly quadrupled the price of the vaccine to $110 to $130 a dose in 2023 from $30.
• The state, suing under its consumer protection law, wants a court order to stop the alleged conduct, fines of $10,000 per violation, or $15,000 when seniors or disabled people were harmed, and the return of profits.
• Pfizer said in a statement the state’s allegations have no merit and that it would respond to the suit in due course.
• “The representations made by Pfizer about its COVID-19 vaccine have been accurate and science-based, and the company stands behind the safety and efficacy of its vaccine,” the company said.
• “The complaint and comments by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speak for themselves,” the Florida Attorney General’s Office said in response to a Reuters request for additional comment.
(Reporting by Kamal Choudhury and Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)
