I became your enemy because I tell you the truth
Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla has pulled out of an appointment to testify before the European Parliament’s Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic (“COVI”), at which he was expected to face tough questions on how secretive vaccine deals were struck.
The decision follows an audit report into the EU’s vaccine procurement strategy published earlier in the month that raised new questions about contact between Bourla and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that preceded a multibillion-euro vaccine contract.
After a visit to BioNTech’s headquarters on 20-21 September, COVI’s chair, Belgian MEP Kathleen Van Brempt, said in a written statement that she looked forward to discussions “with other CEOs” including “Mr. Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer.”
Bourla was scheduled to appear before the panel on 10 October. Other pharmaceutical executives have already addressed the committee, including the CEO of Moderna and senior officials from AstraZeneca and Sanofi.
However, a spokesperson for Pfizer contacted Politico and said the company’s president of international development markets, Janine Small, would attend the committee hearing instead.
Read the full article: Pfizer CEO pulls out of testifying to EU Parliament COVID panel, Politico, 29 September 2022
Pfizer’s CEO Doesn’t Have the Courage to Face EU Parliament to Answer Questions
Michael Loyman