Wenstrup investigates FDA’s rushed approval of COVID-19 shot

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) is investigating possible undue interference on the accelerated approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

During the Select Subcommittee’s hearing titled “Assessing America’s Vaccine Safety Systems, Part 1,” FDA Director Dr. Peter Marks testified that the FDA’s approval of the COVID-19 vaccine may have been rushed in order to meet arbitrary mandate policies set forth by the Biden Administration. 

Previous documents uncovered by the Select Subcommittee revealed that scientists warned Dr. Marks and other FDA officials on numerous occasions about the dangers of rushing the COVID-19 vaccine approval process. 

The FDA seemingly disregarded the warnings, dismissed the scientists who brought forward the concerns, and went forward with the accelerated approval process. The day after approval, the Biden Administration announced its first COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Chairman Wenstrup is reiterating requests for transcribed interviews with Dr. Peter Marks and former FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock. 

The chairman is also asking current FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf to provide documents and information related to the COVID-19 vaccine approval process.

Dr. Peter Marks’s Feb. 15, 2024 testimony:

Notably, on August 9, 2021, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that he would, “make the COVID-19 vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensure, whichever comes first.” 

This assertion could have increased pressure on Biden Administration officials to expedite approval of the COVID-19 vaccine. Less than a month later, on August 23, the FDA approved the COVID-19 vaccine for public use. 

One day after the FDA’s approval, Secretary Austin issued a memorandum mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for all U.S. military service members.

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