By: Gayathri Loka
May 30 2022
False: Pfizer has received FDA approval for its monkeypox vaccine.
Share Article:
Fact-Check
The Verdict False
In 2019 the FDA approved Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos vaccine to counter monkeypox. Pfizer did not recently develop a vaccine for monkeypox.
Claim ID 30622762
Context: Since May 13, 2022, there has been an outbreak of monkeypox. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed approximately 92 cases worldwide on May 21. Since the outbreak, misinformation about the virus has circulated online. One such claim stated that Pfizer recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval for a monkeypox vaccine. A recent tweet read “Just to be clear... One case of “MonkeyPox” was found in Massachusetts this week... In less than 48 hours the United States Government had purchased 13 million MonkeyPox vaccines for $119 million. A day later, Pfizer received FDA approval for a New Monkey Pox Vaccine..” However, there is no basis for such claims. In Fact: There have been no statements from Pfizer or the FDA regarding a new monkeypox vaccine. According to Pfizer's press release archives, their last statement was made on May 26 regarding an FDA grant for an " investigational combination therapy for treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with liver fibrosis." On September 24, 2019, the FDA approved Jynneos (made by Bavarian Nordic A/S) smallpox and monkeypox vaccine. Jynneos is the only currently FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of monkeypox disease. On May 23, Reuters reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved Jynneos to help tackle the monkeypox outbreak. Captain Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC's High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology Division, told Reuters, "Right now, we are hoping to maximize vaccine distribution to those we know would benefit from it." In 2022, no vaccine has been approved for monkeypox. The FDA however, approved other vaccines for smallpox. Medical misinformation about companies like Pfizer and other health organizations have become common ever since vaccine trials to counter the COVID-19 pandemic began. In the wake of the recent monkeypox outbreaks, pharmaceutical organizations and governments have been targets of such misinformation campaigns on social media. Verdict: Pfizer has not developed a vaccine for monkeypox recently. The FDA has approved other vaccines related to monkeypox, but Pfizer has not been involved. Hence we mark this claim as false.