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Published 14:00 IST, November 24th 2021

Pfizer to take legal action to stop misinformation against its COVID-19 vaccine: Report

The lawyers of Pfizer have decided to now file defamation charges against a website that spread misinformation against the company's COVID-19 vaccine.

Reported by: Apoorva Kaul
Image: AP | Image: self

In a significant development to stop misinformation spreading against the COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer has started a program to tackle the problem. The move comes after the company CEO Albert Bourla had called the people who were disseminating information related to vaccines as “criminals,” reported Sputnik. The Pfizer lawyers have now decided to go the legal way against the people spreading misinformation against the company's vaccine. 

Reportedly, the lawyers of Pfizer are now seeking to file defamation charges against a website that spread misinformation. As per the Sputnik report, Pfizer counsel, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York on 16 November, have filed 'an order under Section 3102(c) of the Civil Practice Law and Rules to seek pre-action disclosure of information from 'DreamHost LLC'. Reportedly, according to the complaint, DreamHost LLC has to disclose information related to the person who used the now-defunct website, 'Conservative Beaver'. 

Identity of the person spreading vaccine misinformation

The lawyers have sought information from the company in order to file a defamation case against the person who had posted two articles that had misinformation regarding the vaccine. As per the report, DreamHost LLC is a company registered in California that provides web hosting services. The Sputnik report mentioned that the first article which was shared on 5 November had alleged that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla was arrested and charged with multiple cases of fraud related to vaccine information. Furthermore, the post shared by the individual had claimed that the mainstream media had not covered the event.

Company reveals Myriam Bourla 'alive and well'

Another article that was posted on 10 November had claimed that Bourla's wife was forced by her husband to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The article had further claimed that Bourla's wife Myriam Bourla had died and her cause of death mentioned in the article was “complications from the Pfizer vaccine," according to AP. However, the spokesperson of the company had refuted such claims. The spokesperson told The Associated Press that Pfizer CEO's wife is "alive and well" and further added that these "lies" were being said to lower the confidence of people in the company's COVID-19 vaccine. 

(Inputs from AP)

Image: AP

Updated 14:00 IST, November 24th 2021

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