• Texas AG Ken Paxton appeals a dismissed lawsuit accusing Pfizer of misleading the public about COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and conspiring to silence critics.
• Kansas joins Texas with a similar lawsuit, alleging Pfizer concealed safety risks and earned $75 billion while misrepresenting the vaccine.
• The lawsuits claim Pfizer misrepresented the vaccine’s 95% effectiveness rate and suppressed adverse event data, including risks like myocarditis and failed pregnancies.
• Pfizer denies allegations, stating its vaccine claims were “accurate and science-based.”
• The cases could set precedents for corporate accountability and transparency in public health.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is doubling down on his fight to hold Pfizer accountable for deceptive practices surrounding its COVID-19 vaccine. In a high-stakes legal battle, Paxton has filed an appeal after a federal district judge dismissed his lawsuit against the pharmaceutical giant in December 2024. The lawsuit alleges that Pfizer misled the public about the vaccine’s effectiveness, suppressed criticism, and conspired with social media platforms to silence dissent. Kansas has also joined the fray with a similar lawsuit, accusing Pfizer of concealing critical safety and efficacy data.

The case underscores growing scrutiny of Pfizer’s role during the pandemic, particularly its claims about the vaccine’s ability to prevent transmission and its efforts to suppress public discourse. As the legal battles unfold, questions about transparency, corporate accountability, and the balance between public health and free speech remain at the forefront.

Pfizer’s alleged misrepresentation of vaccine efficacy

At the heart of Paxton’s lawsuit is the claim that Pfizer misrepresented the efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine, particularly its widely cited 95% effectiveness rate. According to the lawsuit, this figure was based on “relative risk reduction” from Pfizer’s initial two-month clinical trial, a metric that the FDA has criticized as misleading. The lawsuit argues that Pfizer knew the vaccine’s protection waned over time and failed to prevent transmission but continued to market it as a durable solution.

“Pfizer repeatedly and knowingly misrepresented the effectiveness and safety of their COVID-19 vaccine and pressured Americans to take the shot without full knowledge of the risks,” Paxton said in a statement. “When consumers questioned the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine, Pfizer sought to silence them—prioritizing profits over the truth.”

The lawsuit also highlights how Pfizer allegedly conspired with social media platforms to label criticism of the vaccine as “misinformation,” effectively censoring dissenting voices. This, Paxton argues, was part of a broader effort to protect the company’s financial interests rather than uphold public health.

Kansas joins the fight against Pfizer

Texas is not alone in its legal battle. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed a similar lawsuit, accusing Pfizer of violating the state’s consumer protection laws. The 69-page complaint alleges that Pfizer concealed critical safety information, including risks of myocarditis, pericarditis, and failed pregnancies, while earning record revenues of $75 billion over two years.

“Pfizer must be held accountable for falsely representing the benefits of its COVID-19 vaccine while concealing and suppressing the truth about its vaccine’s safety risks, waning effectiveness, and inability to prevent transmission,” the Kansas lawsuit states.

Both lawsuits raise concerns about Pfizer’s transparency, particularly its handling of adverse event data. Kansas alleges that Pfizer maintained a separate database of adverse events that was not publicly disclosed, raising questions about what the company knew and when.

Pfizer has denied the allegations, stating that its representations about the vaccine were “accurate and science-based.”

Despite the dismissal of Paxton’s initial lawsuit, the Texas Attorney General remains undeterred. “I will not stop until Pfizer is held accountable for deceptively pushing its COVID-19 vaccine on consumers,” he vowed.

As the legal battles continue, the cases could set important precedents for corporate accountability and public health transparency. For millions of Americans who trusted Pfizer’s vaccine, the outcomes of these lawsuits may offer long-awaited answers—and, potentially, justice.

Sources for this article include:

TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov

TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov

FoxBusiness.com