A recent Senate report has raised questions about the transparency of the Biden administration's handling of COVID-19 vaccine side effects, sparking concerns among lawmakers and the public.
According to the Daily Wire, the report reveals that the administration was informed of side effects linked to the COVID-19 vaccines early in 2021, but the information was not shared with the public until months later.
The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations unveiled findings indicating that the administration knew by February 2021 about the potential risk of myocarditis and pericarditis associated with the COVID-19 vaccines. However, it wasn't until June of that year that these health risks were communicated to the public.
U.S. officials were reportedly warned about these concerns by CDC official Lauri Markowitz. According to the report, Markowitz communicated confidential details in late February 2021 regarding nearly 1,000 death reports following vaccination, noting cardiovascular causes in certain cases.
Additionally, Israeli health officials informed the CDC that they were observing a significant number of myocarditis cases following the administration of the Pfizer vaccine, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.
The delay in reporting these side effects has been attributed to concerns among U.S. officials about potential vaccine hesitancy that could have arisen had these risks been publicized promptly.
Sen. Ron Johnson, who chaired the committee behind the report, has been a vocal critic of the administration's handling of the issue. Johnson emphasized that health agencies had internally recognized a safety concern regarding myocarditis but opted not to make this information public at the time.
According to Johnson, "The federal government was very well aware of the myocarditis signal, particularly in young men, as early as February [2021]." He contended that the delay violated the principle of informed consent, which he views as inviolable.
Johnson also spotlighted the administration's efforts to distribute talking points that minimized these risks to major health officials, thereby underscoring what he describes as an intentional "cover-up."
Among the revelations, Johnson's report highlights that vital records and documents were withheld, delaying both public and congressional access to essential information. This lack of transparency reportedly persisted under the new administration.
The White House only revised COVID-19 vaccine labels to include myocarditis warnings in late June 2021. This revision was prompted by the increased attention the issue received, although stakeholders argue it came too late for those who could have benefited from the information earlier.
The report spans over 2,400 pages, with much of the documentation acquired via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. These documents articulate the nuanced exchanges and considerations within U.S. health agencies during the period in question.
The next steps involve a Senate hearing led by Johnson, where the findings of the report will be discussed further. Johnson aims to bring greater awareness and accountability to what he considers a significant breach of trust in public health communication.
Furthermore, Johnson has publicly criticized federal health agencies for their failure to ensure informed consent by not openly communicating potential risks to the public in a timely manner.
