The Debate on Voter ID and Fraud Prevention: A Critical Analysis

Without skipping a beat, Musk turned his attention to what few billionaires would dare talk about—election fraud and voter IDs.

Without one single stutter, Musk declared, “The purpose of no voter ID is obviously to conduct fraud in elections.”

“The same people that demanded… pic.twitter.com/mGFXbOSXd7

— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) October 8, 2024

The conversation around voter ID laws in elections is one that sparks heated debates, especially in the context of securing the democratic process versus ensuring accessible voting. In a recent statement, Elon Musk drew a parallel between two controversial issues: the requirement of vaccine IDs during the COVID-19 pandemic and the opposition to voter ID laws in elections. Musk highlighted the inconsistency of demanding vaccine proof for certain activities while simultaneously opposing voter identification, arguing that the lack of voter ID makes it “literally impossible” to prevent or detect large-scale fraud.

The Argument for Voter ID Laws

Musk’s comments reflect a common concern among proponents of voter ID laws, who argue that requiring identification at the polls is a necessary measure to ensure the integrity of elections. Their position is straightforward: just as IDs are required for various daily activities—such as boarding a plane, buying alcohol, or obtaining a driver’s license—voter identification should be a minimum requirement for participating in an election. The claim is that without voter IDs, elections become vulnerable to fraud, with the potential for individuals to vote under false identities or cast multiple ballots.

Supporters also believe that voter ID laws can increase public trust in the electoral system. In a climate where allegations of election fraud can undermine confidence in democratic institutions, implementing voter ID laws may serve as a safeguard to restore faith in election outcomes.

The Counter-Argument: Voter Suppression and Accessibility

On the other side of the debate, opponents of voter ID laws argue that such requirements disproportionately affect certain groups of people, particularly minorities, low-income individuals, and the elderly. Critics contend that millions of Americans lack the necessary documentation or face significant barriers in obtaining an ID. For these individuals, adding an ID requirement could disenfranchise them from exercising their right to vote, effectively suppressing their voices in the democratic process.

Furthermore, critics argue that voter fraud is extremely rare and that there is no substantial evidence to suggest that widespread fraud has occurred in past U.S. elections. The concern among those who oppose voter ID laws is that these policies are less about preventing fraud and more about creating obstacles for specific voter demographics, potentially skewing election outcomes in favor of certain political parties.

The Controversy of "No Voter ID Means Fraud"

Elon Musk’s assertion that “the purpose of no voter ID is obviously to conduct fraud” encapsulates the fear that without stricter identification measures, it is impossible to maintain the integrity of elections. However, this statement is contentious. While some believe that the absence of voter ID laws invites fraud, there is no consensus on this issue. Numerous studies and investigations have found minimal instances of voter impersonation, casting doubt on the necessity of voter ID laws as a fraud prevention measure.

Nevertheless, the debate persists, with advocates on both sides pointing to different studies, legal precedents, and political ideologies to support their arguments. For many, the core question is whether the risks of disenfranchising voters outweigh the potential for fraud prevention—or whether the two concerns can be balanced in a fair and effective way.

Conclusion

The debate over voter ID laws is not new, but it has taken on renewed urgency in light of recent political events and public figures like Elon Musk weighing in. At the heart of the issue is the tension between ensuring election security and protecting voter access. While proponents of voter ID laws see them as a necessary safeguard against fraud, opponents view them as a barrier that could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.

Ultimately, the challenge lies in finding a solution that addresses concerns about election integrity while ensuring that every eligible voter can participate in the democratic process. As discussions on voter ID laws continue to evolve, it remains critical to consider both the risks and benefits of such policies in shaping the future of voting rights.

10 Things We Learned from the Overreaction to the Coronavirus Pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic was a global crisis that prompted significant responses from governments, health organizations, and individuals. However, as the dust settles, it’s crucial to examine what we learned from the instances of overreaction during this period. Understanding these lessons can help us prepare better for future emergencies and strike a balance between caution and overreach.

Dana Carvey's Fauci Impression Is Insane!

I miss Covid.  Booster just sounds better.  I am introducing a daily COVID shot. 

Jordan Trishton Walker - Pfizer Director of R&D - Strategy Operations & mRNA Scientific Planning

Pfizer Exposed For Exploring "Mutating" COVID-19 Virus For New Vaccines Via 'Directed Evolution'

Sign Petition FDA To Investigate Pfizer's Clinical Trial Fraud

Should the FDA investigate Pfizer's clinical trial fraud allegations? Or look the other way?

Triple Vaxxed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Infected with Covid… AGAIN

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday tested positive for Covid-19 again.

Trudeau visited the United States last week and just met with Joe Biden, Gavin Newsom and others.

Mr. Trudeau attended the Summit for the Americas in Los Angeles and took a “family photo” with Joe Biden and other political leaders.

PM Trudeau said he’s feeling okay because he’s triple vaxxed and encouraged others to get vaccinated.

Makes sense.

“I’ve tested positive for COVID-19. I’ll be following public health guidelines and isolating. I feel okay, but that’s because I got my shots. So, if you haven’t, get vaccinated – and if you can, get boosted. Let’s protect our healthcare system, each other, and ourselves.” Trudeau said on Monday.

I’ve tested positive for COVID-19. I’ll be following public health guidelines and isolating. I feel okay, but that’s because I got my shots. So, if you haven’t, get vaccinated - and if you can, get boosted. Let’s protect our healthcare system, each other, and ourselves.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 13, 2022

Sucharit Bhakdi, MD - Antibodies, Lymphocytes & Immune System

Why if you had an infection you have natural immunity and herd immunity is now present!!!  Professor Sucharit Bhakdi, MD - Proff that puts an end to the Sars COV-2 Narrative. 

Vaccines only present danger and have no benefit!  Why multiple boosters will turn your natural immune system to start killing you.  

This video is from July 2021. 

Get prepared. Don't miss today's 'Financial Rebellion' with special guest Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi. LIVE THURS @ 9am ET // 8am CT. @solari_the #CAF

⏯️ https://t.co/HYblp4wHf4

Only on #CHDTV pic.twitter.com/ABVRb45JQf

— Children's Health Defense (@ChildrensHD) March 17, 2022

Was Mass Vaccinating in the Public’s Interest or Pfizer’s?

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla Reports $37B COVID Vaccine Sales in 2021

Pfizer reported global sales and alliance revenue from its abortion-tainted COVID vaccine brought in $36.78 billion in 2021, helping to more than double profits across its business operations compared with 2020.

In an earnings report issued Tuesday, the pharmaceutical giant also estimated that sales of its vaccine and anti-viral pill will top $54 billion in 2022, buoying shareholders’ hopes that profits at the company might soar for the second year in a row.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the company plans to aggressively expand the use of messenger RNA beyond just COVID vaccines, pointing to potential treatments of muscle, the liver and nervous system, despite warnings from many researchers that the use of mRNA technology carries significant risks.

Despite record earnings, Pfizer shares fell 3% yesterday on Wall Street due to lower than expected 2022 sales forecasts for its anti-viral pill, Paxlovid, which it sells at $530 a course in the United States.

Anti-viral pills like ivermectin, which health chiefs have sought to ban or restrict, typically sell for a few dollars when available, with several scientists suggesting the much-maligned pills are more effective than those produced by Pfizer.

Pfizer said its overall sales in 2022 across the company’s product range could reach $102 billion.

“In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we committed to use all of the resources and expertise we had at our disposal to help protect populations globally against this deadly virus, as well as to offer treatments to help avoid the worst outcomes when infections do occur,” Bourla said yesterday. “We put billions of dollars of capital on the line in pursuit of those goals, not knowing whether those investments would ever pay off.”

Reacting to the earnings on Twitter, some commentators remarked on how beneficial mass-vaccination programs had been to the company’s balance sheet.

Bourla also said yesterday that Pfizer’s vaccine for the Omicron variant would not be ready for distribution until March, casting further doubt on calls from health officials and mainstream media outlets to vaccinate people now with shots made for previous variants.

Was mass vaccinating in the public’s interest or Pfizer’s? https://t.co/ojPAhfiCNE

— Lisa Boothe (@LisaMarieBoothe) February 8, 2022

The CEO acknowledged that the eradication of COVID is unlikely to be achieved because of mutations and the virus’ global spread, with some scientists previously warning that new vaccines were contributing to the growth of variants.

Dr. Michael Yeadon, former Pfizer vice president and chief scientist for respiratory research, last week called on the media to apologize for their “lies” about vaccine safety as leaked data from the U.S. military indicated a 300% increase in miscarriages in 2021.

Yeadon, who spent 32 years in the industry leading new medicines research and retired from the pharmaceutical giant with the most senior research position in his field, was an author of a submitted petition to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in December 2020 that raised substantial concerns regarding a lack of sufficient testing of the experimental COVID-19 gene-based vaccines before their emergency use authorizations.

With regard to the possibility of the shots endangering the fertility of women, Yeadon and his colleague, Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg, wrote, “There is no indication whether antibodies against spike proteins of SARS viruses would also act like anti-Syncytin-1 antibodies. However, if this were to be the case, this would then also prevent the formation of a placenta which would result in vaccinated women essentially becoming infertile.”

Such a possibility would need to be ruled out through standard experimentation before imposing such substances onto the entire population, according to the doctors.

“It’s important to note that none of these gene-based agents had completed what’s called ‘reproductive toxicology,’” Yeadon wrote in his recent statement. “Over a year later, this battery of tests in animals still has not been done. So there was and still is no data package supporting safety in pregnancy or prior to conception.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data in December showing a total of 965,843 reports of adverse events after COVID vaccines were submitted between Dec. 14, 2020, and Dec. 10, 2021, to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

The data included a total of 20,244 reports of deaths and 155,506 reports of serious injuries, including deaths, during the same period.

Director Walensky can’t say why CDC hasn’t conducted field study of natural immunity

In Senate hearing, Director Walensky can’t say why CDC hasn’t conducted field study of natural immunity.

“If we don’t know natural immunity confers protection…it’s because we’ve decided not to look…why have we not done the research showing natural immunity confers protection?” pic.twitter.com/g98509ZhoX

— Michael P Senger (@MichaelPSenger) November 8, 2021

75% of CDC employees are working remotely and many are not vaccinated. 

In Senate hearing, Director Walensky can’t say why CDC hasn’t conducted field study of natural immunity.

“If we don’t know natural immunity confers protection…it’s because we’ve decided not to look…why have we not done the research showing natural immunity confers protection?”

Aydin Keskiner Pfizer Contractor For 20 Years Says "Science Fake"

Aydin Keskiner, President, 'Clinical Research' if West Florida  

Project Veritas journalist secretly films 20 year Pfizer contractor on Covid Vax "Skeptical of the Science"

A BRAVE private citizen independently obtained this recording and sent it to Project Veritas, proving that everyone has the capacity to EXPOSE the TRUTH. If you obtain any footage or information, send it to us at veritastips@protonmail.com

A common citizen, with no direct association with Project Veritas, recorded a Pfizer contractor, Aydin Keskiner, admitting that he does not trust the speed in which the Pfizer vaccine was developed and distributed.

2021-10-12/ #CitizenJournalist Secretly Films 20 Year #Pfizer Contractor Aydin Keskiner, on #Covid #Vax,
admitting that he does not trust the speed in which the Pfizer vaccine was developed and distributed.https://t.co/UDJuKWCH8K @pfizer #COVID19 #CovidVaxExposed #ProjectVeritas

— MaksimLevinskyMusic (@MaksimLevinsky) October 12, 2021

CDC Changes Definition of Vaccine

 

From:  The act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease

To:  The act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce protection from a specific disease

Scott Gottlieb Blocked Me On Twitter For Asking Him About Israel

Scott Gottlieb is selling a book about "Uncontrolled Spread" and is on the board of Pfizer.  Is he being truthful or is he conflicted? 

How is Isreal doing with Phizer vaccination rates at 90%?  Doesn't look so good, does it? 

Why didn't you speak to Isreal in your slide presentation?  Are you conflicted because you are on the board of Pfizer? 

Scott Gottlieb presented this slide on Isreal and totally ignored the core issues of why this data could be with 90% of the population vaccinated.  

Scott Gottlieb also presented Are We Already At Herd Immunity at 83.3%?  He did give credit to natural immunity which I commend but also credited 63.1% to vaccine immunity which seems extremely overstated considering the vaccinated are getting COVID at extremely high rates. 

20.2+63.1= 83.3%

This Is How Morons In The Media & On The Left Actually Think

So much of Biden’s success is tied to getting Trump supporters to twice put a needle in their arm.

— Sam Stein (@samstein) September 3, 2021

So much of Biden’s success is tied to getting Trump supporters to twice put a needle in their arm.

And so much of Trump’s success is tied to reporters framing things like this.

— Another Bike Commuter (@schnufflerowner) September 3, 2021

This is exactly what the MSDNC fake news is all about. Manipulation.  He is an actual reporter that pretends to report the news.  This is a disgrace to our society of responsible reporting. 

Americans Charged With Felonies For Buying Fake Vaccine Cards

Tucker on how people are being charged for faking vaccine cards pic.twitter.com/XmNfP0vMEf

— Osler (@osler78) September 3, 2021

Coronavirus Genome Sequencing vs Patent Records - Dr David Martin

There was no novel Coronavirus. Check of gene sequence vs all patent records showed no novel since 1999! There are 120 patented pieces of evidence showing the total fallacy of claim 'novel'!

 

A manufactured illusion. Dr David Martin with Reiner Fuellmich 9/7/21.  

Please watch this important video next on Reiner Fuellmich's global class action lawsuit. 

Since mid-July 2020, the Corona Committee has been conducting live, multi-hour sessions to investigate why federal and state governments imposed unprecedented restrictions as part of the Coronavirus response and what the consequences have been and still are for people.

In this video, Dr. David Martin refers to Peter Daszak a lot. 

Who is Dr. David Martin?  

Dr. Martin has founded several for-profit and not-for-profit companies and organizations and serves on several boards.  He was a Co-Chair of the ADC (Australia Davos Connection) Forum’s Leadership Retreat and Critical Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Councils.  He was the founding Director of Melbourne’s Centre of Applied Innovation.  He served as Chairman and CEO of eSurface®. He was the founding CEO of Mosaic Technologies, Inc., a company that developed and commercialized technologies in advanced computational linguistics, dynamic data compression and encryption, electrical field transmission, medical diagnostics, and stealth/anechoic. He was a founding member of Japan’s Institute for Interface Science and Technology (IIST). He founded and served as Executive Director of the Charlottesville Venture Group. He has served as a board member for the Research Institute for Small and Emerging Business (Washington, D.C.), the Academy for Augmenting Grassroots Technological Innovations (India), the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce (Virginia), and the Charlottesville Industrial Development Agency (Virginia), Humanitad (U.K), Global Urban Development, and many other agencies dedicated to ethical human development.  As international policy contributor, economist and futurist, Dr. Martin’s work at The Arlington Institute (U.S.) included accurately forecasting the global financial crisis of 2008 and working with the launch of Singapore’s Risk Assessment Horizon Scanning initiative. 

Dr. Martin’s work as a Fellow of the Batten Institute at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia and his related work at the Indian Institute for Management Ahmedabad, India, has brought unprecedented curricular focus to areas of intangible-asset risk management, finance, and accounting standards. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Martin has closely advised innovation-based finance and investment programs in India, Bermuda, Brazil, China, Denmark, the European Union, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United States, Mongolia, Egypt, Ecuador, Singapore, Germany, Slovenia, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates. He has served as the Constitutional and Economic advisor to the Autonomy Committee of East New Britain and New Ireland, Papua New Guinea and has worked with ethical trade frameworks for the Kingdom of Tonga, the Independent State of Samoa, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea.

His work has been the subject of two internationally awarded documentaries, Patent Wars which highlights his work on reform of the global innovation system and Future Dreaming: A Conversation with David Martin which is a dialogue about humanity and its optimal interaction in the universe.  He has spoken at the United Nations General Assembly on citizen-led peacemaking initiatives and has been featured on Bloomberg television and HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.   

A speaker, author, business executive and futurist, Dr. Martin’s work has been engaged in every country on Earth.  He works with his family in every endeavor of life.  Together with his wife Kim, he directs the Breathing Enterprise workshops and facilitates implementation of Integral Accounting.  Dr. Martin received his undergraduate (BA) from Goshen College, his Masters of Science from Ball State University, and his Doctorate (PhD) from the University of Virginia.

Dr Ryan Cole - Pathology Studies on Brain and Organ Inflamation

 A scientific clarification of what these injections do in the head and other organs of the vaccinated people. Spike protein is a toxin that disrupts the brain and organs with inflammation. Massive increase of myocarditis. 

Highly Educated Americans (PhDs) Are Also the Most Vaccine Hesitant

A new report by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh has found that the most highly educated Americans are also the most vaccine-hesitant.

The researchers canvassed no fewer than 5 million Americans who responded to surveys on whether they were “probably” or “definitely not planning on getting a COVID vaccine.

The results will shock many.

“More surprising is the breakdown in vaccine hesitancy by the level of education,” reports UnHerd. “It finds that the association between hesitancy and education level follows a U-shaped curve with the highest hesitancy among those least and most educated. People with a master’s degree had the least hesitancy, and the highest hesitancy was among those holding a Ph.D.”

In addition, while the lowest educated saw the largest drop in vaccine hesitancy for the first five months of 2021, those with PhDs were the most likely to not change their minds.

The study also reveals that the most common concern for those who are hesitant to take the vaccine is potential side-effects, with a lack of trust in government close behind in second.

The results of the investigation completely debunk the notion, amplified by media narratives, that only “dumb” people are vaccine-hesitant.

It also demolishes NYT White House correspondent Annie Karni’s characterization of elitists who attended Obama’s 60th birthday party as “sophisticated, vaccinated.”

How many of them haven’t taken the vaccine?

There has been much debate over how to get the unvaccinated to get their jabs — shame them, bribe them to persuade them, or treat them as victims of mis- and disinformation campaigns — but who, exactly, are these people?

Most of the coverage would have you believe that the surge in cases is primarily down to less educated, ‘brainwashed’ Trump supporters who don’t want to take the vaccine. This may be partially true: the areas in which the delta variant is surging coincide with the sections of red America in which vaccination rates are lowest.

But according to a new paper by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, this does not paint the full picture. The researchers analyzed more than 5 million survey responses by a range of different demographic details, and classed those people who would “probably” or “definitely” not choose to get vaccinated as “vaccine-hesitant.”

In some respects the findings are as predicted — for example, the paper finds that there is a strong correlation between counties with higher Trump support in the 2020 presidential election and higher hesitancy in the period January 2021 — May 2021. 

But more surprising is the breakdown in vaccine hesitancy by the level of education. It finds that the association between hesitancy and education level follows a U-shaped curve with the highest hesitancy among those least and most educated. People with a master’s degree had the least hesitancy, and the highest hesitancy was among those holding a Ph.D. 

What’s more, the paper found that in the first five months of 2021, the largest decrease in hesitancy was among the least educated — those with a high school education or less. Meanwhile, hesitancy held constant in the most educated group; by May, those with Ph. Ds were the most hesitant group. 

So not only are the most educated people most skeptical of taking the Covid vaccine, they are also the least likely the change their minds about it… 

A Global Class Action Lawsuit Is Coming - Crimes Against Humanity

Crimes Against Humanity - The PCR Test Fraud and COVID-19 will be the Case of the Century

Reiner Fuellmich - Update on Court Case & PCR Test Fraud

Dr. Reiner Fuellmich returns to explain how PCR Testing is a pandemic because it cannot tell us anything about infections.  This virus is not fake but our misuse of PCR testing.   He is the co-founder of the German Corona Investigative Committee, Lawyer. 

Please watch this important video next on Reiner Fuellmich's video on coronavirus patents. 

If you think there has been an organized global misinformation process that has led to unnecessary damage to the fabric of society in many ways, social, economic, and health matters, please take some time to watch this video of Dr. Reiner who has successfully brought legal accountability to large organizations before

Dr. Reiner  Fuellmich has taken on a grand responsibility which he is driven to carry for the misjustices carried daily as a consequence of the PCR Test Fraud and COVID-19 government and media fraud, that humanity has been subjected to. Fuellmich is not alone, he is supported by the work of an international team of court judges, doctors, scientists, economists, entrepreneurs, experts and business lawyers who will plead the biggest tort case of all time, the Covid-19 fraud scandal is the biggest fraud of the century.

According to the Corona Committee the assertion that the lockdown was necessary because there were so many different infections with SARS-COV-2, and because the healthcare systems would be overwhelmed is wrong for several  reasons, and from other data that has become available in the meantime:

A. The lockdown was imposed when the virus was already retreating. By the time the lockdown was imposed, the alleged infection rates were already dropping again.

B. There’s already protection from the virus because of cross- or T-cell immunity. Apart from the above-mentioned lockdown being imposed when the infection rates were already dropping, there is also cross- or T-cell immunity in the general population against the coronaviruses contained in every flu or influenza wave. This is true, even if this time around, a slightly different strain of the coronavirus was at work. And that is because the body’s own immune system remembers every virus it has ever battled in the past, and from this experience, it also recognizes a supposedly new, but still similar, strain of the virus from the corona family. Incidentally, that’s how the PCR test for the detection of infection was invented by now infamous Professor Drosten.

C. And this is the most important part of our fact-finding: the PCR test is being used on the basis of false statements, NOT based on scientific facts with respect to infections. In the meantime, we have learned that these PCR tests, contrary to the assertions of Messrs. Drosten, Wieler and the WHO, do NOT give any indication of an infection with any virus, let alone an infection with SARS-COV-2. Not only are PCR tests expressly not approved for diagnostic purposes, as is correctly noted on leaflets coming with these tests, and as the inventor of the PCR test, Kary Mullis, who died in 2019, has repeatedly emphasized. Instead, they’re simply incapable of diagnosing any disease.’ 

Why COVID-19 Vaccine Science Should Not Be Rushed

In 1976, an outbreak of the swine flu, influenza A virus subtype H1N1 at Fort Dix, New Jersey caused a mass vaccination of Americans. After the program began, the vaccine was associated with an increase in reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which can cause paralysis, respiratory arrest, and death. This is the story of how in 1976, the US government faked a pandemic.

In January 1976, several soldiers at Fort Dix complained of a respiratory illness diagnosed as influenza. The next month, Private David Lewis, who had the symptoms, participated in a five-mile forced march, collapsed and died.

The New Jersey Department of Health tested samples from the Fort Dix soldiers. While the majority of samples were of the more common A Victoria flu strain, two were not. The atypical samples were sent to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, which found evidence of swine influenza A related to the 1918 flu pandemic, which killed 50 to 100 million people worldwide.

The Center for Disease Control (now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) verified the findings and informed both the World Health Organization and the state of New Jersey. On February 13, CDC Director David Sencer completed a memo calling for mass vaccination for the swine flu.

The CDC Assistant Director for Programs of the Center for Disease Control, Bruce Dull, held a press conference on February 19 to discuss the flu outbreak at Fort Dix and, in response to questions from reporters, mentioned the relationship of the flu strain to the 1918 outbreak.

US President Gerald Ford was officially informed of the outbreak memo on March 15 and the suggested vaccination program. He met with a “blue ribbon” panel that included Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin. Ford then made a televised announcement in support of the mass vaccination program.

A hearing was held before the United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and C. Joseph Stetler, a drug company spokesman, requested government indemnity for the vaccine manufacturers.

Pharmaceutical companies Sharp & Dohme (Merck & Co.), Merrell, Wyeth, and Parke-Davis also refused to sell doses to the government unless they were guaranteed a profit, a concession that the government also eventually made.

The House Appropriations Committee reported out a special appropriations bill, including $135 million for the swine flu vaccination program, which was approved on April 5. Two days later, the World Health Organization held a conference to discuss the implications of a swine flu outbreak for poorer nations.

On April 8, an official from the Federal Insurance Company informed Merck & Co., a manufacturer of the swine flu vaccine, that it would exclude indemnity on Merck’s product liability for the swine flu vaccine on July 1, 1976.

T. Lawrence Jones, president of the American Insurance Association, informed the Office of Management and Budget that the insurance industry would not cover liability for the vaccine unless the government extended liability protection.

The chairman of Merck wrote a memo a day later, April 13, to various government agencies, including the White House emphasizing the “duty to warn”. In May, other vaccine manufacturers including Marion Merrell Dow, Parke-Davis, and Wyeth, were notified of indemnity problems by their respective insurers.

Assistant Secretary Theodore Cooper (HEW) informed the White House on June 2 that indemnity legislation would be needed to secure Merrell’s cooperation. In June, other vaccine manufacturers requested the same legislation. A little more than two weeks later, the Ford administration submitted a proposal to Congress that offered indemnity to vaccine manufacturers.

Bruce Dull stated at a flu conference on July 1 that there were no parallels between the 1918 flu pandemic and the current situation.

Later that month, J. Anthony Morris, a researcher in the Food and Drug Administration’s Bureau of Biologics (BoB), was dismissed for insubordination and went public with findings that cast doubt on the safety of the vaccine, which was produced in fertilised hen’s eggs.

Three days later, several manufacturers announced that they had ceased production of the vaccine. Later that month, investigations into alleged swine flu outbreaks in other parts of the world found no cases of the strain. On July 23, the President sent a letter that urged Congress to take action on indemnification.

In early August, an outbreak of illness in Philadelphia was thought to be related to swine flu. It was later found to be an atypical pneumonia that is now called Legionnaires’ disease. On August 6, Ford held a press conference and urged Congress to take action on the indemnification legislation. Four days later, both houses of Congress passed the legislation.

Merrill became the first company to submit samples to the FDA’s Bureau of Biologics for safety testing, which approved it on September 2. Merck made the first shipment of vaccines to state health departments by September 22. The first swine flu inoculations were given at the Indiana State Fair.

In October, three people died of heart attacks after they had received the vaccine at the same Pittsburgh clinic, which sparked an investigation and the recall of that batch of vaccine.

The investigation showed that the deaths were not related to the vaccination. The President and his family received their vaccinations before the television cameras. On November 2, Ford lost the presidential election to Jimmy Carter.

Also in early November, Albert Sabin published a New York Times editorial, “Washington and the Flu.” He agreed with the decision to create the vaccine and to be prepared for an outbreak but criticized the “scare tactics” that had been used by Washington to achieve that. He suggested to stockpile the vaccine and to have a wait-and-see strategy.

By 15 December, cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) affecting vaccinated patients were reported in 10 states, including Minnesota, Maryland, and Alabama. Three more cases of Guillain-Barré were reported in early December, and the investigation into cases of it spread to eleven states.

On December 16, a one-month suspension of the vaccination program was announced by Sencer. William Foege of the CDC estimated that the incidence of GBS was four times higher in vaccinated people than in those not receiving the swine flu vaccine.

Ford told reporters that he agreed with the suspension, but he defended the decision to create the vaccination program. Joseph A. Califano, Jr., was sworn in as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare on January 20, 1977. On February 4, Sencer was informed that he would be replaced as the head of the CDC. The vaccination program was not reinstated.

Laurence Gostin, in his article “At Law: Swine Flu Vaccine: What Is Fair?”, wrote that “the swine flu affair fails to tell us whether, in the face of scientific uncertainty, it is better to err on the side of caution or aggressive intervention.”

There is not even complete agreement about the causal relationship between the swine flu vaccine and Guillain-Barré syndrome, as noted in Gina Kolata’s book Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It.

She wrote that the CDC did not have a “specific set of tests and symptoms to define Guillain-Barré” and that since doctors who reported cases already knew that a link was suspected, a bias in reporting was introduced. She quoted Keiji Fukuda: “if a new virus gets identified or reappears, you don’t want to jump the gun and assume a pandemic is happening.”

See related articles: 

Pharmaceutical advertising spending

Fake COVID Vaccines Discovered

While scammers have been selling fake or forged COVID-19 vaccination cards, another scam has been discovered involving counterfeit versions of the vaccine. 

WSJ reports fake versions of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech have been found in Mexico and Poland. 

In Mexico, a man who claimed to be a biotech expert injected upwards of 80 people with the fake vaccine - charging $1,000 per dose. WSJ said none of the people had been physically harmed by the injection. 

Dr. Manuel de la O, the health secretary of Nuevo León state in Northeastern Mexico, said fake vials of the vaccine were found in what appeared to be beer coolers. The counterfeit vaccines had "different lot numbers than those sent to the state and a wrong expiration date," the health secretary said. 

Reports of counterfeit vaccines were also found in Poland, where authorities seized a stockpile from a man's apartment. The substance found inside the vials was likely an anti-wrinkle treatment, Pfizer said.

"Everybody on the planet needs it. Many are desperate for it," Lev Kubiak, Pfizer's world head of security, told WSJ. "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."

Pfizer is also working with law enforcement on counterfeit vaccine cases like those recently uncovered in Mexico and Poland. Johnson & Johnson and Moderna are other top producers of COVID vaccines. They, too, are working with authorities to monitor fake vaccine distribution. 

Across the world, dozens of websites have been shut down for fraudulently claiming to sell vaccines. Some of the websites appeared to be seeking personal information for identity fraud schemes than actually injecting people with vaccines. 

In other countries, including China and South Africa, authorities seized thousands of doses of counterfeit vaccines, according to Interpol. 

The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, an investigative arm of the US Department of Homeland Security, has also been investigating fraud related to the virus pandemic globally. Investigators have removed 30 websites and seized 74 web domains, according to IPR officials. So far, no counterfeit vaccines have been found on US soil. 

Countries that are struggling to obtain vaccines appear to be the most prone to fraudulent schemes. 

"Whenever you see this mismatch between demand and supply in certain areas, there are people who are willing to fill that difference with counterfeits," said Tony Pelli, a consultant with BSI Group who concentrates on drug security. "For new drugs, it's usually just a matter of time before you see people trying to counterfeit them."

What appears evident is that low-income countries struggling to obtain vaccines are ripe for fraud.