Pfizer CEO pulls out of testifying to EU Parliament COVID panel
High-level contacts between Albert Bourla and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before multibillion-euro vaccine deal are under scrutiny.
Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla has pulled out of an appointment to testify before the European Parliament’s special committee on COVID-19, at which he was expected to face tough questions on how secretive vaccine deals were struck.
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The report, by the European Court of Auditors, found that von der Leyen had been directly involved in preliminary negotiations for the EU’s biggest vaccine contract, for up to 1.8 billion doses of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, which was concluded in May 2021.
This was a departure from the negotiating procedure followed with other contracts, where a joint negotiating team made up of officials from the Commission and member countries conducted exploratory talks.
The EU watchdog also noted that the Commission refused to provide records of the discussions with Pfizer, either in the form of minutes, names of experts consulted, agreed terms, or other evidence.
Already in 2021, the New York Times reported on the seemingly-cozy relationship between Bourla and von der Leyen, with the two exchanging text messages in the run-up to the deal.
Update the 11/10-22 :
Press conference after Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla refused to answer in front of European Parliament
Six members of the European Parliament held a press conference on October 11, 2022, one day after Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO, refused to participate in the Covid committeee and answer questions.
00:48 – MEP Francesca Donato (Italy)
04:38 – MEP Cristian Terhes (Romania)
12:56 – MEP Virginie Jeron (France)
15:01 – MEP Sylvia Limmer (Germany)
18:26 – MEP Ivan Sincic (Croatia)
22:41 – MEP Christine Anderson (Germany)
Watch the full hearing of Pfizer’s representitive here:
