Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced his office’s launch of an investigation into three pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. The probe aims to determine if the companies engaged in gain-of-function research and misled the public on the matter. Paxton is also investigating claims that the companies made about the efficacy of their Covid-19 vaccines and the likelihood of transmitting Covid-19 after taking the vaccines in violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Paxton’s statement stressed that the development of the Covid-19 vaccine and the representations made by the companies are of profound interest to the public’s health and welfare. If any company took advantage of consumers illegally or compromised people’s safety to increase their profits, they will be held responsible. The investigation will scrutinize the catastrophic effects of the pandemic and the subsequent interventions forced on the country and its citizens.
The investigation will also look at whether vaccine trial data was manipulated. Paxton noted that the probe concerns potentially fraudulent activity that falls outside the scope of legal immunity granted to manufacturers of the Covid-19 vaccine. As part of the investigation, the companies will be required to turn over documents that the public would not otherwise have access to.
The move follows in the footsteps of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who directed the Florida Supreme Court to convene a grand jury to investigate any and all wrongdoing by those manufacturers with respect to the vaccines. DeSantis has emphasized that in Florida, it is illegal to mislead and misrepresent, especially when discussing the efficacy of a drug.
The investigation will undoubtedly bring to light any questionable practices or misleading claims made by pharmaceutical companies. It will also serve to ensure that public health policies were developed on the basis of accurate and reliable research. The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on the world, and any hint of wrongdoing deserves intense scrutiny. The Texas Attorney General’s office is taking the necessary steps to get to the bottom of these issues and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
As always, we will keep our readers updated on this developing story as more information becomes available.
BREAKING: We are launching an investigation into Gain-of-Function research and misrepresentations by Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers https://t.co/3NAEGISuT5
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) May 1, 2023
