Vaccine manufacturer Pfizer identified the first instances of counterfeit versions of COVID-19 shots being distributed in Poland and Mexico, though no one appears to have been physically harmed.
Pfizer confirmed the counterfeit versions of the vaccine in an email to the Washington Examiner.
“We are cognizant that in this type of environment – fueled by the ease and convenience of e-commerce and anonymity afforded by the Internet – there will be an increase in the prevalence of fraud, counterfeit and other illicit activity as it relates to vaccines and treatments for COVID-19,” Pfizer said. “At Pfizer, we are relying on decades of experience protecting patients from counterfeiting and product diversion to anticipate and help prevent potential threats to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine supply chain. … We continue to work with governments, law enforcement, healthcare providers and others to combat this illegal trade.
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Lev Kubiak, Pfizer’s world head of security, said the demand for the vaccine provides opportunities for criminals.
“Many are desperate for [the shots],” said Kubiak. “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.”
Around 80 people in a clinic in Mexico received the bogus shots, which authorities confiscated after determining that the vials held in beer coolers were marked with the wrong labels and expiration dates.
Polish authorities, meanwhile, seized fraudulent vaccines from a man’s apartment and reported that no one there had received the shots. They determined that the vials actually contained a skincare serum meant to smooth out wrinkles, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Similar investigations in China and South Africa led to the seizure of thousands of bogus vaccines in warehouses and manufacturing plants last month, leading to dozens of arrests. In the United States, fraud investigations by the Department of Homeland Security have recovered $48 million worth of phony personal protective equipment such as masks, though counterfeit vaccines have not been found.
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The U.S. and international authorities have already removed websites and domain names claiming to have inexpensive COVID-19 doses to distribute in exchange for a person’s personal information. Pfizer is currently working with authorities abroad to identify fraudulent vials and crack down on criminals responsible for supplying them.
