Gov. Ron DeSantis has asked the Florida Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate adverse events connected to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and Moderna, Inc.
DeSantis announced his request for the grand jury during a roundtable event on COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Accountability on Dec. 13. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and seven other physicians, researchers, and public health experts also took part in the event.
“Healthcare professionals should always communicate the risks of a medical intervention to their patients in a manner that is clinically appropriate and meets standards of ethical practice,” Ladapo said. “President Biden and Big Pharma have completely prevented that from happening – it is wrong.”
Specifically, the petition seeks the grand jury on grounds that mRNA vaccinations carry risks, including acute cardiac injuries, encephalitis, appendicitis, shingles, and other conditions, and that Pfizer and Moderna encouraged the vaccine’s use despite the risks.
“Florida law prohibits fraudulent practices, including the dissemination of false or misleading advertisements of a drug and the use of any representation or suggestion in any advertisement relating to a drug that an application of a drug is effective when it is not,” the petition said. “Questions have been raised regarding the veracity of the representations made by the pharmaceutical manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly with respect to transmission, prevention, efficacy, and safety. An investigation is warranted to determine whether the pharmaceutical industry has engaged in fraudulent practices.”
In response, Pfizer said the use of the vaccines has been authorized worldwide based on data relative to their “quality, safety, and efficacy.”
“Over the course of this deadly pandemic, mRNA vaccines have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, tens of billions of dollars in health care costs, and enabled people worldwide to go about their lives more freely,” the company said in a written statement. “As of November 27th, 2022, we have delivered 4.3 billion vaccines to 181 countries and territories in every region of the world.”
No one from Moderna was available to comment on DeSantis’ petition.
Also, during the Roundtable Event, DeSantis announced the establishment of the Public Health Integrity Committee to assess federal public health recommendations and guidance to ensure that Florida’s public health policies are tailored to Florida’s communities and priorities.
Ladapo will oversee the seven-member Committee.
Finally, based on autopsy results, the state will collaborate with the University of Florida to compare research with studies done in other countries connected to the sudden deaths of those who received the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida.
