Kansas’ attorney general is suing Pfizer over claims the company engaged in “false and misleading marketing” about its Covid-19 vaccine.
In a lawsuit filed Monday, AG Kris Kobach accused the New York-based pharmaceutical giant of downplaying the risks associated with the shot and making unsubstantiated claims about its effectiveness.
Kobach claims Pfizer violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act with its allegedly false statements about the drug.
It is not known how much the state wants to compensate.
“Pfizer made multiple misleading statements to mislead the public about its vaccine at a time when Americans needed the truth,” Kobach said in a statement.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is suing Pfizer over claims the company engaged in “false and misleading marketing” about its Covid-19 vaccine.
In a lawsuit filed Monday, Kobach accused the New York-based pharmaceutical giant of downplaying the risks associated with the shot and making unsubstantiated claims about its effectiveness.
The lawsuit – filed in Thomas County District Court – alleges that Pfizer began concealing evidence as early as 2021, shortly after the vaccine’s release.
It is accused of burying evidence linking the jab to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage and a condition that causes inflammation around the heart known as myocarditis and pericarditis.
Pfizer released a statement claiming the lawsuit has no merit.
“Pfizer’s statements about its COVID-19 vaccine were accurate and scientifically sound,” Pfizer’s statement read.
In 2021, myocarditis and pericarditis were added to the vaccine label as side effects. These conditions are rare and common in adolescent males.
A 2023 review of 21 studies by the US National Institutes of Health found no link between the Covid vaccine and miscarriage.
The state also alleges that Pfizer falsely claimed that its vaccine was highly effective against other variants, and that it would prevent both disease and transmission.
Kobach claims Pfizer violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act with its allegedly false statements about the drug
Kansas isn’t the only state suing Pfizer. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a similar lawsuit against the drugmaker last year — pending litigation Pfizer also claims has no merit.
Koback said other states are following Kansas’ lead and will soon sue Pfizer.
The Pfizer vaccine was developed together with German partner BioNTech for the original virus strain. BioNTech is not a defendant in the case.
During the height of the pandemic, there was a rush to get vaccinated due to the urgency of the situation and the rapid development of the vaccines.