U.S. drugmaker Pfizer confirms that suspect doses of its coronavirus vaccine that were seized in Mexico and Poland were indeed fake, with doses going for as much as $1,000 a shot, according to US media.
At a clinic in Mexico some 80 people received doses of the fake vaccine, which appeared to have been physically harmless, though offering no protection against the potentially deadly virus ravaging the country, a report in the Wall Street Journal said.
The vials were found in beer coolers and were initially identified by fabricated lot numbers and expiration dates, Mexican officials said. Six people were detained.
The confiscated vials in Poland were filled with clear liquid, which was later found to contain a substance used for skin care products.
Pfizer confirmed the WSJ’s report, saying it’s “identified counterfeit versions of its COVID-19 vaccine in Mexico and Poland,” in a statement to The Hill.
“We are cognizant that in this type of environment – fueled by the ease and convenience of e-commerce and anonymity afforded by the internet – there will be an increase in the prevalence of fraud, counterfeit and other illicit activity as it relates to vaccines and treatments for Covid-19,” a Pfizer spokesperson told ABC News on Wednesday.
The company added that it’s collaborating with BioNTech to “take meaningful steps to help reduce the risk of illicit COVID-19 Vaccine activity,” adding that it is working with governments and law enforcement agencies to combat illegal trade of its vaccines.
In February, health authorities in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon warned about “clandestine” sales of “alleged Covid vaccines” and urged people not to take them.
In March, the World Health Organization also warned of “falsified” Pfizer vaccines found in Mexico and warned that the shots “may still be in circulation in the region.”
Pfizer tested the bogus vials and found they did not contain the two-shot vaccine it developed with BioNTech.
Lev Kubiak, Pfizer’s head of global security, said the desperate need and the shortfall in vaccines had led to the scams.
“We have a very limited supply, a supply that will increase as we ramp up and other companies enter the vaccine space. In the interim, there is a perfect opportunity for criminals,” he told the Wall Street Journal.
Pfizer advises the general public to never buy a vaccine online, emphasizing that “no legitimate vaccine is sold online,” adding that people should get vaccinated at “official vaccination centers or by certified healthcare providers.”