Read the story and answer the following questions:
Meningitis is a condition in which protective membranes covering parts of the nervous system become inflamed (CDC, 2022). A meningitis epidemic hit the continent of Africa in 1996 and Pfizer tested an antibiotic called Trova by comparing it to the best available treatment which was Ceftriaxone (Smith, 2011). The testing was done in the Nigerian state of Kano (Smith, 2011).
The tests Lead to the death of 11 children and left many with brain damage, and paralysis (Smith, 2011). The documentation of the trial was brought into question (Smith, 2011). A lawsuit was filed in which plaintiffs claimed that Pfizer failed to tell the families that an approved treatment existed and that, Pfizer had intentionally provided a low dose of the control drug (lenzer, 2006). The decision to provide a lower dose shows a lack of risk-based analysis. The New York court did not listen to the case because it was not in its jurisdiction to hear the case (Lenzer, 2006).
A Pfizer spokesperson claimed that the doses given were more than the WHO-recommended dose (Lenzer, 2006). Pfizer also claimed that the studies were done within the boundaries of Nigerian law, and that verbal consent had been taken after conveying to the parents what was happening (Lenzer, 2006).
Pfizer settled out of court and paid the Kano state government 75 million dollars and created a 35 million dollar fund to help those who were affected (Smith, 2011). A US diplomatic channel leak indicated that Pfizer had been paying investigators to find material to blackmail the Nigerian attorney general to drop the charges (Smith, 2011). FDA never approved the use of trova to treat meningitis (Lenzer, 2006). Trova was later shown to cause liver damage in adults (Lenzer, 2006).
Pfizer never published the study (Lenzer, 2006). All this goes on to show that quality control was not on point and Pfizer was not at all transparent about the study. Pfizer destroyed many lives and their lack of care has instilled vaccine hesitancy in the people of Kano, which has the potential to take many more lives (Garba and Paquette, 2021).
1- Do you believe that Pfizer should have faced harsher repercussions due to their negligence?
2- Do you believe that companies should be forced by law to publish all studies they took part in/ funded?
3- Did the claims made by Pfizer indicate that established protocols for choosing who to test on were in place?
Sources:
CDC. Meningitis. 2022, March 30th. [accessed 9th April, 2022]. [whole page].
Garba I, Paquette D. 2021, March 20. In this Nigerian city, Pfizer fears loom over the vaccine rollout. The Washington post. [accessed 9th April, 2023].
Lenzer J. Secret report surfaces showing that Pfizer was at fault in Nigerian drug tests. BMJ. [accessed 9th April, 2023]; 332(7552). 1233.
Read the story and answer the following questions:
Meningitis is a condition in which protective membranes covering parts of the nervous system become inflamed (CDC, 2022). A meningitis epidemic hit the continent of Africa in 1996 and Pfizer tested an antibiotic called Trova by comparing it to the best available treatment which was Ceftriaxone (Smith, 2011). The testing was done in the Nigerian state of Kano (Smith, 2011).
The tests Lead to the death of 11 children and left many with brain damage, and paralysis (Smith, 2011). The documentation of the trial was brought into question (Smith, 2011). A lawsuit was filed in which plaintiffs claimed that Pfizer failed to tell the families that an approved treatment existed and that, Pfizer had intentionally provided a low dose of the control drug (lenzer, 2006). The decision to provide a lower dose shows a lack of risk-based analysis. The New York court did not listen to the case because it was not in its jurisdiction to hear the case (Lenzer, 2006).
A Pfizer spokesperson claimed that the doses given were more than the WHO-recommended dose (Lenzer, 2006). Pfizer also claimed that the studies were done within the boundaries of Nigerian law, and that verbal consent had been taken after conveying to the parents what was happening (Lenzer, 2006).
Pfizer settled out of court and paid the Kano state government 75 million dollars and created a 35 million dollar fund to help those who were affected (Smith, 2011). A US diplomatic channel leak indicated that Pfizer had been paying investigators to find material to blackmail the Nigerian attorney general to drop the charges (Smith, 2011). FDA never approved the use of trova to treat meningitis (Lenzer, 2006). Trova was later shown to cause liver damage in adults (Lenzer, 2006).
Pfizer never published the study (Lenzer, 2006). All this goes on to show that quality control was not on point and Pfizer was not at all transparent about the study. Pfizer destroyed many lives and their lack of care has instilled vaccine hesitancy in the people of Kano, which has the potential to take many more lives (Garba and Paquette, 2021).
1- Do you believe that Pfizer should have faced harsher repercussions due to their negligence?
2- Do you believe that companies should be forced by law to publish all studies they took part in/ funded?
3- Did the claims made by Pfizer indicate that established protocols for choosing who to test on were in place?
Sources:
CDC. Meningitis. 2022, March 30th. [accessed 9th April, 2022]. [whole page].
Garba I, Paquette D. 2021, March 20. In this Nigerian city, Pfizer fears loom over the vaccine rollout. The Washington post. [accessed 9th April, 2023].
Lenzer J. Secret report surfaces showing that Pfizer was at fault in Nigerian drug tests. BMJ. [accessed 9th April, 2023]; 332(7552). 1233.
