Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit on Thursday against Pfizer and CEO Albert Bourla, accusing the company of misleading the public about its COVID-19 vaccine. The suit alleges Pfizer misrepresented the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness in violation of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
The complaint claims Pfizer concealed known risks of serious side effects, including myocarditis and pericarditis, particularly among minors. It also alleges the company promoted the vaccine as a way to prevent virus transmission without having conducted clinical trials to support that claim.
Florida is seeking penalties and the disgorgement of profits allegedly derived from the misconduct.