The petition to Pfizer reads: “Stop bullying developing countries for vaccine access.”

Your health or your wealth, that’s what Pfizer is asking Latin American countries to choose between if they want a vial of their vaccine.

A report by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has revealed the bullying Argentina, Brazil, and other Latin American countries have had to deal with in order to secure life-saving COVID-19 vaccine doses. In some cases, governments would be obligated to put up their federal bank reserves, embassy buildings, or military bases – as collateral to secure the vaccine.

Tell Pfizer to stop strong-arming developing countries before agreeing to provide them with the vaccine. Sign our petition.

Pfizer wants the sovereign assets as a guarantee against any future lawsuits that might arise due to adverse reactions or deployment of the vaccine. They’ve demanded that the country, not the pharmaceutical company, pay for any negligence on the companies part, an outlandish request in normal circumstances, but as the pandemic rages on, they feel they can ask. Simply put, the company is using the global emergency to bully countries into giving the vaccine provider the most favorable terms possible before handing any vials over to state governments.  

Pfizer and its vaccine partner BioNTech received favorable terms from their governments to encourage vaccine research and production, and Pfizer has already sold some $15 billion worth of vaccines in 2021. Yet the company is still shamelessly trying to squeeze every bit of profit from the pandemic.

Argentina and Brazil currently have some of the most severe outbreaks on the planet. The two are dealing with daily infections of tens of thousands of cases per day. Every day that Pfizer refuses to deliver vaccines to these countries, more people die.

In this global crisis, the mere fact that we have a vaccine just a year after the pandemic is a miracle, and pharma companies like Pfizer should enjoy reasonable protections. But to demand protections from actual negligence, like vaccine mix-ups and delivery on their part is outrageous, especially when lives are at stake.

Tell Pfizer to stop making developing countries choose between the health of their people or their sovereign wealth. Sign our petition.