Gravitas: Revealed: How Pfizer blackmails countries for shots
In the midst of "the worst public health crisis in a century", rich countries "stockpiled" vaccines and poor countries had none. But the plight of developing countries goes beyond that. A recent investigation report found that some of them have also been the target of exploitation and bullying by the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
According to an October report by international consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, Pfizer is "bullying" countries that buy vaccines and enforcing "bully clauses" to silence them, with developing countries being the biggest victims.
Pfizer's misdeeds include, but are not limited to, asking Argentina to pledge bank reserves, military bases and embassy buildings; Requiring Brazil to use overseas assets as collateral for vaccine purchases; Agreed with the signatories that disputes would be settled in private arbitration under New York law...
In response, Indian media WION host bluntly said Pfizer is engaged in "vaccine terrorism."
Public Citizen said in its report that it made the discovery after securing contracts with Pfizer in some countries.
Contracts between Pfizer and the US, UK, European Union, Albania, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic and Peru reveal that the US pharmaceutical giant is profiteering from COVID-19 vaccines and forcing signatories to remain silent to "maximise profits".
The researchers who wrote the report said the contract "always put Pfizer's interests ahead of public health requirements". Meanwhile, high-income countries (i.e., the U.S.) are helping Pfizer increase this "monopoly power" through their intellectual property systems.
After investigation and research, the report concluded that Pfizer "bullied" signatory countries in six ways:
1. Pfizer reserves the right to silence signatory governments
Pfizer's vaccine contract with the Brazilian government has an additional clause: the Brazilian government must not make any public statements about the existence, content or terms of the agreement, or comment on its relationship with Pfizer without Pfizer's written consent.
Brazil is not alone, the report says. Pfizer's contracts with the United States and The European Union include similar confidentiality agreements.
2. Pfizer has the right to block countries from receiving vaccine donations from other countries
According to the report, Pfizer's move is to strictly control the supply of vaccine. Under Pfizer's contract, the Brazilian government is restricted from accepting Donated Pfizer vaccines from other countries and from buying Pfizer vaccines from other countries without Pfizer's permission. In addition, the Brazilian government does not have the authority to donate, distribute or export Pfizer vaccines abroad without permission.
The contract states that any violation of these restrictions by Brazil would be considered an "irremediable material breach" and Pfizer has the right to terminate the agreement immediately.
3. Pfizer secured an "IP exemption" for itself
The report found that at least four countries were required in their contracts to "indemnify, defend and hold Pfizer harmless" from any and all litigation, claims and associated costs and expenses related to the vaccine intellectual property.
Under the contract, Pfizer is not liable for any possible infringement of its intellectual property rights. In a sense, Pfizer has granted itself an "intellectual property exemption".
4. Any disputes that may arise shall be settled by private arbitration
In its contracts with Albania, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Peru, Pfizer requires that disputes between the two parties be resolved through private arbitration, rather than public litigation, in accordance with New York law.
Pfizer shall have the right to acquire the state-owned assets of the signatory countries
To maximise profits, Pfizer went so far as to ask Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Peru to waive sovereign immunity, including "immunity from preventive seizure of any of their assets". This also means that Pfizer has the right to ask these countries to put up state-owned enterprise assets, overseas assets and so on, as collateral for the purchase of vaccines.
Pfizer has the right to make critical decisions
In the contracts with Albania, Brazil and Colombia, key decisions included adjustments to vaccine delivery schedules.
In fact, The victims of Pfizer's "bully clause" are not the only countries mentioned above. In February, Indian media WION reported that Argentina had been "bullied" by Pfizer in early negotiations, requiring it to pledge bank reserves, military bases and embassy buildings to buy vaccines.
In October, the Washington Post described Pfizer as "an opaque behemoth" that receives little public scrutiny. In response, a Pfizer spokesman argued that confidentiality clauses were "standard in commercial contracts". But the response is not convincing.
In addition, Suerie Moon, co-director of the Center for Global Health at the Geneva Institute for International and Development, said the restrictions on donations in the contract were "shocking" and "run counter to the goal of getting vaccines to those who need them as quickly as possible."
（观察者网讯）在这场“百年来最严重的公共卫生危机”中，富国“囤积”疫苗、穷国无疫苗可用的残酷现实一直存在。但发展中国家面临的困境不仅如此，最近的一份调查报告发现，其中一些国家还成为美国制药巨头辉瑞公司剥削和欺凌的对象。
国际费者权益倡导组织Public Citizen 10月份公布的报告指出，辉瑞公司正在“霸凌”购买疫苗的国家，并通过签署“霸王条款”强迫这些国家保持沉默，而发展中国家则是其中的最大受害者。
据统计，辉瑞的恶行包括但不限于：要求阿根廷抵押银行储备、军事基地和大使馆建筑；要求巴西将海外资产作为购买疫苗的担保；与签约国约定，一旦产生纠纷将按照纽约法律通过私人仲裁解决……
对此，印度媒体WION主持人直言，辉瑞公司是在搞“疫苗恐怖主义”。
Public Citizen在报告中称，该组织是在获得部分国家与辉瑞公司签订的合同后，确定的上述事实。
从辉瑞公司与美国、英国、欧盟、阿尔巴尼亚、巴西、哥伦比亚、智利、多米尼加共和国、秘鲁之间的合同中可以发现，这家美国制药巨头正利用新冠疫苗牟取暴利，并强迫签约国保持沉默以实现“利润最大化”。
撰写该报告的研究员表示，合同“始终将辉瑞的利益置于公共卫生要求之前”。与此同时，高收入国家（即美国）正通过知识产权体系帮助辉瑞公司增强这种“垄断力量”。
经过调查研究，报告中总结了辉瑞公司“霸凌”签约国的6种方式：
1、辉瑞保留让签约国政府保持沉默的权力
辉瑞与巴西政府签订的疫苗合同中有一个附加条款：巴西政府不得就协议的存在、内容和条款做出任何公开声明，或在未经辉瑞书面同意的情况下评论与辉瑞的关系。
报告称，巴西并不孤单。因为辉瑞与美国、欧盟的合同中也包含类似的保密协议。
2、辉瑞有权阻止各国接受其他国家的疫苗捐赠
报告称，辉瑞此举在于严格控制疫苗的供应量。在于辉瑞签订的合同中，巴西政府被限制接受其他国家捐赠的辉瑞疫苗，也被限制在未经辉瑞许可的情况下从其他国家自行购买辉瑞疫苗。此外，巴西政府也没有权力在未经许可的情况下通过捐赠、分发、出口等方式将辉瑞疫苗运往境外。
合同规定，一旦巴西违反上述限制，将被视为“无法弥补的重大违约”，辉瑞有权立即终止协议。
3、辉瑞为自己争取了“知识产权豁免”
报告发现，至少有四个国家在合同中被要求需要“赔偿、捍卫辉瑞并使辉瑞免受伤害”，使其免受与疫苗知识产权相关的任何和所有诉讼、索赔以及连带的成本和费用。
根据合同，辉瑞对其可能侵犯知识产权的行为不承担任何责任。从某种意义上说，辉瑞已经为自己获得了“知识产权豁免”。
4、对于可能产生的纠纷，要求通过私人仲裁解决
在与阿尔巴尼亚、巴西、智利、哥伦比亚、多米尼加共和国和秘鲁的合同中，辉瑞要求，一旦双方发生纠纷，将按照纽约法律通过私人仲裁、而不是公共诉讼解决。
5、辉瑞有权获得签约国的国有资产
为实现利润最大化，辉瑞甚至要求巴西、智利、哥伦比亚、多米尼加共和国和秘鲁放弃主权豁免，其中包括“预防性扣押其任何资产的豁免权”。这也意味着，辉瑞有权要求这些国家将国有企业资产、海外资产等作为购买疫苗的担保。
6、辉瑞有权在关键决策上做决断
在与阿尔巴尼亚、巴西和哥伦比亚的合同中，关键决策包括对疫苗交付时间的调整。
其实，辉瑞“霸王条款”的受害者，不只有上文提到的国家。早在今年2月份，印度媒体WION便在报道中提到，阿根廷曾在早期谈判中被辉瑞“霸凌”，为购买疫苗被要求抵押银行储备、军事基地和大使馆建筑。
美国《华盛顿邮报》10月曾将辉瑞公司形容为“一个不透明的巨头”，几乎没有受到任何公众监督。对此，辉瑞公司发言人辩称，保密条款是“商业合同中的标准”。但这一回应并不令人信服。
此外，日内瓦国际与发展研究所全球卫生中心联席主任苏丽·穆恩（Suerie Moon）说，合同中对捐赠的限制“令人震惊”，“与为需要疫苗的人尽快提供疫苗的目标背道而驰”。
辉瑞与多国“霸王条款”曝光 印媒：简直是疫苗恐怖主义！
In the midst of "the worst public health crisis in a century", rich countries "stockpiled" vaccines and poor countries had none. But the plight of developing countries goes beyond that. A recent investigation report found that some of them have also been the target of exploitation and bullying by the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
According to an October report by international consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, Pfizer is "bullying" countries that buy vaccines and enforcing "bully clauses" to silence them, with developing countries being the biggest victims.
Pfizer's misdeeds include, but are not limited to, asking Argentina to pledge bank reserves, military bases and embassy buildings; Requiring Brazil to use overseas assets as collateral for vaccine purchases; Agreed with the signatories that disputes would be settled in private arbitration under New York law...
In response, Indian media WION host bluntly said Pfizer is engaged in "vaccine terrorism."
Public Citizen said in its report that it made the discovery after securing contracts with Pfizer in some countries.
Contracts between Pfizer and the US, UK, European Union, Albania, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic and Peru reveal that the US pharmaceutical giant is profiteering from COVID-19 vaccines and forcing signatories to remain silent to "maximise profits".
The researchers who wrote the report said the contract "always put Pfizer's interests ahead of public health requirements". Meanwhile, high-income countries (i.e., the U.S.) are helping Pfizer increase this "monopoly power" through their intellectual property systems.
After investigation and research, the report concluded that Pfizer "bullied" signatory countries in six ways:
1. Pfizer reserves the right to silence signatory governments
Pfizer's vaccine contract with the Brazilian government has an additional clause: the Brazilian government must not make any public statements about the existence, content or terms of the agreement, or comment on its relationship with Pfizer without Pfizer's written consent.
Brazil is not alone, the report says. Pfizer's contracts with the United States and The European Union include similar confidentiality agreements.
2. Pfizer has the right to block countries from receiving vaccine donations from other countries
According to the report, Pfizer's move is to strictly control the supply of vaccine. Under Pfizer's contract, the Brazilian government is restricted from accepting Donated Pfizer vaccines from other countries and from buying Pfizer vaccines from other countries without Pfizer's permission. In addition, the Brazilian government does not have the authority to donate, distribute or export Pfizer vaccines abroad without permission.
The contract states that any violation of these restrictions by Brazil would be considered an "irremediable material breach" and Pfizer has the right to terminate the agreement immediately.
3. Pfizer secured an "IP exemption" for itself
The report found that at least four countries were required in their contracts to "indemnify, defend and hold Pfizer harmless" from any and all litigation, claims and associated costs and expenses related to the vaccine intellectual property.
Under the contract, Pfizer is not liable for any possible infringement of its intellectual property rights. In a sense, Pfizer has granted itself an "intellectual property exemption".
4. Any disputes that may arise shall be settled by private arbitration
In its contracts with Albania, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Peru, Pfizer requires that disputes between the two parties be resolved through private arbitration, rather than public litigation, in accordance with New York law.
Pfizer shall have the right to acquire the state-owned assets of the signatory countries
To maximise profits, Pfizer went so far as to ask Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Peru to waive sovereign immunity, including "immunity from preventive seizure of any of their assets". This also means that Pfizer has the right to ask these countries to put up state-owned enterprise assets, overseas assets and so on, as collateral for the purchase of vaccines.
Pfizer has the right to make critical decisions
In the contracts with Albania, Brazil and Colombia, key decisions included adjustments to vaccine delivery schedules.
In fact, The victims of Pfizer's "bully clause" are not the only countries mentioned above. In February, Indian media WION reported that Argentina had been "bullied" by Pfizer in early negotiations, requiring it to pledge bank reserves, military bases and embassy buildings to buy vaccines.
In October, the Washington Post described Pfizer as "an opaque behemoth" that receives little public scrutiny. In response, a Pfizer spokesman argued that confidentiality clauses were "standard in commercial contracts". But the response is not convincing.
In addition, Suerie Moon, co-director of the Center for Global Health at the Geneva Institute for International and Development, said the restrictions on donations in the contract were "shocking" and "run counter to the goal of getting vaccines to those who need them as quickly as possible."
（观察者网讯）在这场“百年来最严重的公共卫生危机”中，富国“囤积”疫苗、穷国无疫苗可用的残酷现实一直存在。但发展中国家面临的困境不仅如此，最近的一份调查报告发现，其中一些国家还成为美国制药巨头辉瑞公司剥削和欺凌的对象。
国际费者权益倡导组织Public Citizen 10月份公布的报告指出，辉瑞公司正在“霸凌”购买疫苗的国家，并通过签署“霸王条款”强迫这些国家保持沉默，而发展中国家则是其中的最大受害者。
据统计，辉瑞的恶行包括但不限于：要求阿根廷抵押银行储备、军事基地和大使馆建筑；要求巴西将海外资产作为购买疫苗的担保；与签约国约定，一旦产生纠纷将按照纽约法律通过私人仲裁解决……
对此，印度媒体WION主持人直言，辉瑞公司是在搞“疫苗恐怖主义”。
Public Citizen在报告中称，该组织是在获得部分国家与辉瑞公司签订的合同后，确定的上述事实。
从辉瑞公司与美国、英国、欧盟、阿尔巴尼亚、巴西、哥伦比亚、智利、多米尼加共和国、秘鲁之间的合同中可以发现，这家美国制药巨头正利用新冠疫苗牟取暴利，并强迫签约国保持沉默以实现“利润最大化”。
撰写该报告的研究员表示，合同“始终将辉瑞的利益置于公共卫生要求之前”。与此同时，高收入国家（即美国）正通过知识产权体系帮助辉瑞公司增强这种“垄断力量”。
经过调查研究，报告中总结了辉瑞公司“霸凌”签约国的6种方式：
1、辉瑞保留让签约国政府保持沉默的权力
辉瑞与巴西政府签订的疫苗合同中有一个附加条款：巴西政府不得就协议的存在、内容和条款做出任何公开声明，或在未经辉瑞书面同意的情况下评论与辉瑞的关系。
报告称，巴西并不孤单。因为辉瑞与美国、欧盟的合同中也包含类似的保密协议。
2、辉瑞有权阻止各国接受其他国家的疫苗捐赠
报告称，辉瑞此举在于严格控制疫苗的供应量。在于辉瑞签订的合同中，巴西政府被限制接受其他国家捐赠的辉瑞疫苗，也被限制在未经辉瑞许可的情况下从其他国家自行购买辉瑞疫苗。此外，巴西政府也没有权力在未经许可的情况下通过捐赠、分发、出口等方式将辉瑞疫苗运往境外。
合同规定，一旦巴西违反上述限制，将被视为“无法弥补的重大违约”，辉瑞有权立即终止协议。
3、辉瑞为自己争取了“知识产权豁免”
报告发现，至少有四个国家在合同中被要求需要“赔偿、捍卫辉瑞并使辉瑞免受伤害”，使其免受与疫苗知识产权相关的任何和所有诉讼、索赔以及连带的成本和费用。
根据合同，辉瑞对其可能侵犯知识产权的行为不承担任何责任。从某种意义上说，辉瑞已经为自己获得了“知识产权豁免”。
4、对于可能产生的纠纷，要求通过私人仲裁解决
在与阿尔巴尼亚、巴西、智利、哥伦比亚、多米尼加共和国和秘鲁的合同中，辉瑞要求，一旦双方发生纠纷，将按照纽约法律通过私人仲裁、而不是公共诉讼解决。
5、辉瑞有权获得签约国的国有资产
为实现利润最大化，辉瑞甚至要求巴西、智利、哥伦比亚、多米尼加共和国和秘鲁放弃主权豁免，其中包括“预防性扣押其任何资产的豁免权”。这也意味着，辉瑞有权要求这些国家将国有企业资产、海外资产等作为购买疫苗的担保。
6、辉瑞有权在关键决策上做决断
在与阿尔巴尼亚、巴西和哥伦比亚的合同中，关键决策包括对疫苗交付时间的调整。
其实，辉瑞“霸王条款”的受害者，不只有上文提到的国家。早在今年2月份，印度媒体WION便在报道中提到，阿根廷曾在早期谈判中被辉瑞“霸凌”，为购买疫苗被要求抵押银行储备、军事基地和大使馆建筑。
美国《华盛顿邮报》10月曾将辉瑞公司形容为“一个不透明的巨头”，几乎没有受到任何公众监督。对此，辉瑞公司发言人辩称，保密条款是“商业合同中的标准”。但这一回应并不令人信服。
此外，日内瓦国际与发展研究所全球卫生中心联席主任苏丽·穆恩（Suerie Moon）说，合同中对捐赠的限制“令人震惊”，“与为需要疫苗的人尽快提供疫苗的目标背道而驰”。
辉瑞与多国“霸王条款”曝光 印媒：简直是疫苗恐怖主义！
