Pfizer Press Release Claims mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Poses ‘Increased Risk’ of Myocarditis
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation Pfizer published an official press release on Friday, October 13, claiming that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, newly branded as COMIRNATY, is linked to “increased risks of myocarditis.”
The press release provided new 2023 guidance for Paxlovid (Pfizer’s medication to treat mild to severe COVID-19 infections) and the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine and updated the list of associated risks with both treatments.
“Authorized or approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccines show increased risks of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart), particularly within the first week following vaccination. For COMIRNATY, the observed risk is highest in males 12 through 17 years of age.”
Pfizer press release
“Pfizer and BioNTech simply formally ‘branded’ or named their vaccine Comirnaty,” NebraskaMed explained, “In terms of what is contained inside the vial of each they are identical.” Pfizer also wrote that the two are “interchangeable” — biologically and chemically uniform.
“Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart) have occurred in some people who have received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Myocarditis and pericarditis following Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines have occurred most commonly in adolescent males 12 through 17 years of age. In most of these individuals, symptoms began within a few days following vaccination.”
Pfizer press release
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its COVID-19 vaccination guidance, clarifying that healthy teens and adolescents are not the top candidates to receive the vaccine. In 2021, the FDA also updated the Moderna and Pfizer fact sheet to list myocarditis and pericarditis as a potential side effect of the COVID-19 vaccines, and in 2022, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released the same guidance for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
Kristen Mag on X (formerly Twitter) shared the press release with the caption, “Pfizer issued a press release Friday afternoon stating definitively that mRNA covid vaccines ‘show increased risks’ of myocarditis + pericarditis. Highest risk = adolescent males. It’s INEXCUSABLE that 1000s of college kids are STILL forced to get a shot w/these known risks.”
Several users responded to the post with anecdotal information and sincere questions regarding the efficacy of vaccine mandates which caused thousands of individuals across the country to lose their jobs and livelihoods. “Now that Pfizer has admitted this, does that open the door for liability claims against institutions still requiring them?” one user asked.
Mag later added, “This is NOT a new admission by Pfizer. They have acknowledged the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis in past press releases and in the vaccine fact sheet. Yet college administrators and others who pushed these mandates seem to completely ignore the risk.”
In 2021, 82.7% of military members were male, a majority of whom were under the age of 25 and faced an increased risk of adverse effects due to the COVID-19 vaccine that was mandated to all Department of Defense employees. More than 8,000 healthy service members were discharged from the military because of their refusal to take the vaccine, the effects of which which had not yet been studied long-term. Just 43 of those service members have rejoined the military, further pressuring the branches to find new enlistees due to the ongoing recruitment shortage.
