Pfizer Latin American president: vaccine proposals went unanswered

Carlos Murillo, Pfizer's Latin American president. Photo: Jefferson Rudy/SF/ACS/CC BY 4.0

Carlos Murillo, Pfizer’s Latin American president, told the Senate’s Covid hearings committee this morning that the company made five offers to sell 70 million Covid-19 vaccines to Brazil’s Health Ministry, the first of which was made in August 2020. The executive said Pfizer proposed a price of USD 10 per dose.

In his deposition, Mr. Murillo said the pharmaceutical giant gradually increased its offers, proposing larger deliveries for late 2020 and early 2021.

However, for much of last year, Pfizer’s offers were ignored by government officials. While speaking to supporters in December last year, President Jair Bolsonaro joked that the Pfizer vaccine could turn people into alligators. He criticized the demands made by Pfizer in vaccine contracts, particularly those which would free the company from any liability for severe side effects.

“If you become Superman, or if you’re a woman who grows a beard, or a man who starts speaking in a high-pitched voice, [Pfizer] won’t be held accountable for any of that.”