Pfizer Strategically Releases Statement in Response to Project Veritas Video

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Pfizer is responding to an undercover video from Project Veritas that appears to show an R&D executive named Jordon Trishton Walker bragging about the company discussing intentionally mutating viruses in order to sell future vaccines.

The undercover video racked up over 20 million views on Twitter shortly after Project Veritas’ reinstatement on the social media platform.

This is what Pfizer had to say about the video in a statement on its official company website (passages of particular significance have been bolded by the editor):

Allegations have recently been made related to gain of function and directed evolution research at Pfizer and the company would like to set the record straight.

In the ongoing development of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer has not conducted gain of function or directed evolution research.  Working with collaborators, we have conducted research where the original SARS-CoV-2 virus has been used to express the spike protein from new variants of concern. This work is undertaken once a new variant of concern has been identified by public health authorities. This research provides a way for us to rapidly assess the ability of an existing vaccine to induce antibodies that neutralize a newly identified variant of concern. We then make this data available through peer reviewed scientific journals and use it as one of the steps to determine whether a vaccine update is required.

Pfizer then pivots to touting its Covid treatment drug Paxlovid.

In addition, to meet U.S. and global regulatory requirements for our oral treatment, PAXLOVID™, Pfizer undertakes in vitro work (e.g., in a laboratory culture dish) to identify potential resistance mutations to nirmatrelvir, one of PAXLOVID’s two components.  With a naturally evolving virus, it is important to routinely assess the activity of an antiviral.  Most of this work is conducted using computer simulations or mutations of the main protease–a non-infectious part of the virus.  In a limited number of cases when a full virus does not contain any known gain of function mutations, such virus may be engineered to enable the assessment of antiviral activity in cells. In addition, in vitro resistance selection experiments are undertaken in cells incubated with SARS-CoV-2 and nirmatrelvir in our secure Biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratory to assess whether the main protease can mutate to yield resistant strains of the virus.  It is important to note that these studies are required by U.S. and global regulators for all antiviral products and are carried out by many companies and academic institutions in the U.S. and around the world.

Fact-based information rooted in sound science is vitally important to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and Pfizer remains committed to transparency and helping alleviate the devastating burden of this disease.

It should be noted that this carefully worded statement does not deny that Jordon Triston Walker works for Pfizer. Nor does it deny that he is the director of scientific and operational initiatives, which is directly salient to the statements made in the video. It does not directly address the content of the video.

It does not deny the possibility that Pfizer employees may have discussed the intentional mutation of viruses to sell future vaccines. It does not rule out Pfizer subcontractors experimenting to explore such a possibility.

The Pfizer Director of Research and Development, Strategic Operations and mRNA Scientific Planner says in the video: “One of the things we’re exploring is like, why don’t we just mutate it [COVID] ourselves so we could create — preemptively develop new vaccines, right? So, we have to do that. If we’re gonna do that though, there’s a risk of like, as you could imagine — no one wants to be having a pharma company mutating f**king viruses.”

Neither does Pfizer’s statement respond directly to Project Veritas. Nor does it threaten a lawsuit, which may lead to discovery.

The Project Veritas video prompted an ugly confrontation from Jordon Triston Walker and the video staff, as well as James O’Keefe himself, after he was confronted.

Walker claims in the video that he was merely trying to impress a date in the video.

YouTube, which has owned by Google, has blocked the video on its platform, and has given Project Veritas a “strike” for uploading it.

Pfizer has been receiving heat from U.S. senators to answer for the profound implications of the R&D director’s claims.

On Thursday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) called for Congress to investigate both federal health agencies and Big Pharma.

“Federal health agencies have been captured by Big Pharma and grossly derelict in their duties throughout the pandemic,” Ron Johnson said.

“It’s time for Congress to thoroughly investigate vaccine manufacturers and the entire COVID vaccine approval process,” he said.

Senator Johnson has long opposed Covid vaccine mandates and has been an advocate for personal choice in all healthcare decisions.

Johnson on Thursday was joined by Senate colleague Marco Rubio (R-FL) with a request for answers about the video.

“I write in response to troubling reports on Pfizer’s intention to mutate the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) virus through gain-of-function, or ‘directed evolution,’ as detailed by Pfizer Director of Research and Development, Jordan Walker,” Rubio’s office wrote. “As has been proven time and time again, attempts to mutate a virus, particularly one as potent as COVID, are dangerous. If the claims detailed in the video are true, Pfizer has put its desire for profit over the concern of national and global health and must hold itself accountable.”

Rubio then asked a series of questions, including:

1. What efforts is Pfizer currently, or planning to, engage in to mutate the SARS-CoV-2 virus? 
 
2. Does Pfizer intend to continue mutating the SARS-CoV-2 virus through gain-of-function, or directed evolution research, with the purpose of creating new vaccines before the variant is present in the greater population? 
 
3. Has Pfizer engaged with federal officials engaged regarding their plans to oversee this research? Please provide the names and agencies for these individuals. 
 
4. What steps has Pfizer taken to ensure the mutated virus does not leak from the laboratory and infect the greater population? 
 
5. Has Pfizer engaged with other biopharmaceutical companies to collaborate on this research effort? Please list the entities that you have been in contact with. 
 
6. Will you commit to halting any future research that mutates the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine as substantial evidence has indicated that similar dangerous research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology very likely led to the initial emergence and global spread of the virus?

It does not appear that Pfizer’s brief statement will be enough to put such questions to rest. Nor will it quiet the public’s concern about the disturbing implications of the Project Veritas video.

Follow Kyle Becker on Twitter @kylenabecker.



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