Pfizer Denies Trump Admin Credit for Vaccine

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer on Monday announced that its coronavirus vaccine has proven very effective in early trials after publicly rejecting federal funding, though the Trump administration still tried to take the credit.

Pfizer and BioNTech, which are jointly working on the vaccine, announced on Monday morning that their COVID-19 vaccine was 90% effective in preventing infection in volunteers during early trials.

“Today is a great day for science and humanity,” Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. “The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19. We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen.”

Although Pfizer’s head of vaccine development noted to The New York Times that “We were never part of the Warp Speed,” the multi-billion-dollar government program to fund the rollout of a coronavirus vaccine. “We have never taken any money from the U.S. government, or from anyone.”

Despite this fact, current and former members of the Trump administration attempted to give the government credit for the breakthrough.

“HUGE NEWS: Thanks to the public-private partnership forged by President 
@realDonaldTrump, @pfizer announced its Coronavirus Vaccine trial is EFFECTIVE, preventing infection in 90% of its volunteers,” Vice President Mike Pence tweeted on Monday.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley added: “The news about the @pfizer vaccine being 90% effective is great news for the American people! Many thanks to @realDonaldTrump and Operation Warp Speed. This will be one of the most important action items done by the administration in response to this pandemic.” 

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