Legal record and accountability
Manufacturers' legal record
Court cases, regulator findings and official penalties involving the companies that make products in this guide. Vaccine-related cases are listed first and in full, with each outcome as the record shows it, including cases that were dismissed or are unproven. Large non-vaccine fines are summarised afterwards. Wording follows the official record: "misleading claims found by [body]" appears only where that body made such a finding. This guide adds no judgement.
Who makes the products in this guide
| Company | Products in this guide |
|---|---|
| Pfizer (incl. Wyeth, Hospira) | Prevenar 13 / Prevnar 13, Prevnar 20, Abrysvo, Trumenba, Penbraya, Comirnaty (with BioNTech), Vitamin K1 injection (Hospira) |
| BioNTech | Comirnaty (with Pfizer) |
| Moderna | Spikevax; also mNEXSPIKE and mRESVIA in the mRNA section |
| GSK | Infanrix hexa, Infanrix, Pediarix, Kinrix, Bexsero, Rotarix, Priorix-Tetra, Priorix, Engerix-B, Hiberix, Havrix, Boostrix, Menveo, Fluarix, FluLaval |
| Merck & Co. (MSD outside the US/Canada) | ProQuad, M-M-R II, Varivax, Gardasil 9, Recombivax HB, RotaTeq, PedvaxHIB, Vaqta, Vaxneuvance, Enflonsia; Vaxelis (with Sanofi) |
| Sanofi | REPEVAX, REVAXIS, MenQuadfi, Daptacel, Pentacel, Quadracel, ActHIB, IPOL, Adacel, Fluzone, Flublok; Vaxelis (with Merck); Beyfortus (with AstraZeneca) |
| AstraZeneca | Fluenz / FluMist; Beyfortus (with Sanofi) |
| CSL Seqirus | Flucelvax, Afluria |
- Makers are as named in each product's official leaflet, linked in the ingredients table. (checked against the leaflets in this guide)
- Johnson & Johnson/Janssen is included because its COVID-19 vaccine is part of the record below, although no J&J product is in the ingredients table. Valneva, Takeda and Bavarian Nordic make no product listed in this guide, so they are not covered. (note by this guide)
- Gaps: the licence holder of Konakion MM (UK vitamin K) and of Kostaive (zapomeran) were not confirmed, so those companies' records are not covered. (note by this guide)
Vaccine-related cases and findings
Merck - Mumps part of MMR II / ProQuad: False Claims Act case (US ex rel. Krahling & Wlochowski v. Merck)
Civil (whistleblower False Claims Act claim) Outcome: Dismissed: summary judgment for Merck (2023), upheld on appeal (2024). No payment.
- Two former Merck employees claimed that Merck made false statements to the CDC about the mumps efficacy and potency of its MMR vaccine. source
- Third Circuit, 6 Aug 2024: the District Court 'held that, even assuming the representations were false, none were material to the CDC's purchasing decision, and thus granted summary judgment in Merck's favor. We agree and will affirm.' source
- The court found the CDC knew the facts about potency and shelf life, relied on its own real-world effectiveness studies, and kept buying the vaccine. source
Merck - Gardasil (HPV vaccine) injury lawsuits
Civil (product liability) Outcome: Federal cases dismissed (2025); most remaining cases settled in 2026 for a reported ~$50 million, with no admission of liability.
- 11 Mar 2025, federal multi-district litigation (W.D. North Carolina): summary judgment for Merck in 16 bellwether cases alleging POTS or premature ovarian insufficiency. The judge ruled the failure-to-warn claims were preempted because Merck 'did not have sufficient newly acquired information' to change the label without FDA approval. source
- 4 Sep 2025, Fourth Circuit: affirmed the dismissal of three other cases because the plaintiffs had not filed on time in the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program first. It did not rule on the preemption decision. source
- Jun 2026: Merck said it would settle all Gardasil cases except one. Bloomberg reported 'more than $50 million' for more than 200 cases, including the Los Angeles case (Robi v. Merck) set for trial. Merck is reported as not admitting liability and says evidence 'continues to support the safety and efficacy' of its HPV vaccines. No jury has decided a Gardasil case. source
GSK - Pandemrix (2009 swine flu vaccine) and narcolepsy
Regulator finding + civil settlements (paid via state indemnity) Outcome: Link accepted by the EU regulator (2011); in Ireland, about 80 cases settled, funded under a state indemnity to GSK.
- EMA, Jul 2011: recommended restricting Pandemrix in under-20s after Finnish and Swedish studies showed a 6- to 13-fold higher risk of narcolepsy in vaccinated children and adolescents. source
- Ireland, Jul 2021: the High Court approved settlements of over EUR 4.5 million in three cases against the Minister for Health, the HSE and GSK. 'GSK was previously given an indemnity by the State concerning any adverse reactions to the vaccine.' The settlement terms covered 80 cases. source
- Payouts in other countries (UK Vaccine Damage Payments, Sweden, Finland) were not totalled here. (gap)
Sanofi - Dengvaxia (dengue vaccine), Philippines
Criminal charges (pending) + refund Outcome: Not proven: the criminal case against Sanofi Pasteur executives and others is still pending (pre-trial). Sanofi refunded unused doses and says the refund was not about safety.
- Nov 2017: Sanofi reported that Dengvaxia could lead to more severe dengue in people never previously infected; the Philippines suspended the programme. Jan 2018: Sanofi agreed to refund unused doses worth about 1.4 billion pesos ($28 million), saying this was 'not related to any safety or quality issue'. The Philippine FDA also fined Sanofi a symbolic amount (about $2,000) over post-marketing surveillance, which Sanofi disputed. source
- Jan 2025: the Philippine Department of Justice withdrew 98 reckless-imprudence homicide cases against the former health secretary and two other officials, saying a 'causal link' between vaccination and the deaths could not be established. source
- 28 Apr 2026: a Quezon City court denied the defence motions to dismiss 35 remaining cases, so they go to trial. The co-accused include 'top executives of vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur Inc.' The judge said cause of death must be 'rigorously tested during a full-blown trial'. source source 2
- 13 Oct 2026: in a separate graft case about the purchase (not involving Sanofi as a defendant), the anti-graft court acquitted the former health secretary and four other officials. source
AstraZeneca - COVID-19 vaccine (Vaxzevria): UK court claims and withdrawal
Civil (UK Consumer Protection Act group claim; pending) Outcome: Not decided: AstraZeneca disputes the claims. In court papers it accepted the vaccine 'can, in very rare cases, cause TTS'. Authorisations were withdrawn in 2024 for stated commercial reasons.
- Feb 2024: in a court document responding to a group claim by 51 claimants (12 bereaved), AstraZeneca stated its vaccine 'can, in very rare cases, cause TTS' (blood clots with low platelets), while disputing the claims. Source is the claimants' solicitors, quoting the document. source
- 27 Mar 2024: the EU marketing authorisation was withdrawn at AstraZeneca's request 'for commercial reasons'. source
- May 2024: AstraZeneca said there was 'a surplus of available updated vaccines', leading to a 'decline in demand'; the vaccine was 'no longer being manufactured or supplied'. source
- No court judgment has been found as of Oct 2026. (checked 22 Oct 2026)
Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) - COVID-19 vaccine: US restriction and end of authorisation
Regulatory action (not a court case) Outcome: FDA restricted use in 2022 because of TTS risk; authorisation revoked in 2023 at Janssen's request.
- 5 May 2022: FDA limited the Janssen vaccine to adults who could not have, or would not accept, another COVID-19 vaccine, after its review of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). source
- 1 Jun 2023: FDA revoked the emergency use authorisation at Janssen's request. FDA cited expired US stock, no demand for new lots, and no plan to update it for new variants. source
Pfizer - COVID-19 vaccine trial site: Brook Jackson v. Ventavia, Pfizer & ICON
Civil (whistleblower False Claims Act claim) Outcome: Dismissed. The US government stepped in and asked for dismissal; the court agreed (Aug 2024). Appeal pending at the Fifth Circuit; no decision found.
- The relator, Brook Jackson, brought False Claims Act claims about how Ventavia ran trial sites in Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine trial. Mar 2023: the court dismissed her two substantive False Claims Act claims. source
- 9 Aug 2024: the court granted the United States' motion to intervene and dismiss, finding the government offered 'a reasonable explanation'. The claims were dismissed with prejudice as to the relator; her retaliation claim against Ventavia was also dismissed. No court made findings on the merits of the trial-conduct allegations. source
- Appeal No. 24-40564 was still open, with the last filing on 21 Nov 2025; no decision found as of Oct 2026. source (checked 22 Oct 2026)
Pfizer - UK PMCPA rulings: promotion of its COVID-19 vaccine
Industry code regulator rulings (not a court; no fines) Outcome: Misleading claims found by the PMCPA in three cases; Clause 2 ('bringing discredit upon... the pharmaceutical industry') breached in two.
- AUTH/3591/12/21 (2022): about the Pfizer CEO's BBC interview (Dec 2021) on vaccinating 5-11-year-olds before UK approval. On appeal, the Appeal Board found the statements implied 'there was no need to be concerned about potential side-effects... which was not so', and found this 'misleading and incapable of substantiation'. It overturned the Clause 2 ruling. source
- AUTH/3741/2/23 (completed Mar 2024): UK employees' re-tweets in Nov 2020 of the unlicensed vaccine's trial results. Breaches included promoting an unlicensed medicine, 'Making a misleading claim', claims not reflecting evidence on adverse reactions, and Clause 2. Pfizer acknowledged the Clause 2 breach. source
- AUTH/3888/4/24 (completed Apr 2025): Pfizer UK's corporate tweets of Nov 2020. Breaches: promotion before authorisation, 'Making a misleading claim', failing to maintain high standards, Clause 2, and failing to comply with an undertaking. Some other alleged breaches were not upheld. source
Moderna - UK PMCPA ruling: Spikevax presentation
Industry code regulator ruling (no fine) Outcome: Off-label promotion and Clause 2 breach found by the PMCPA (2024).
- AUTH/3746/2/23 (completed Aug 2024): a Moderna-contracted UK speaker at an April 2022 congress presented data for a booster dose twice the licensed dose, with claims such as 'most immunogenic'. Rulings: breaches of Clause 11.2 (promotion inconsistent with the product licence), 5.1 and 2. No breach was found on promotion before authorisation or disguised promotion. The MHRA had earlier closed a complaint about the same event without upholding it. source
Wyeth (now Pfizer) - DTP vaccine: Bruesewitz v. Wyeth (US Supreme Court, 2011)
Civil (product liability) Outcome: Ruled for Wyeth: the 1986 Act bars design-defect lawsuits against vaccine makers.
- The parents of a child injured after a DTP dose sued Wyeth for defective design. The Supreme Court held that the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act preempts such design-defect claims when the vaccine was properly made and carried proper warnings. source
Cutter Laboratories (historic; makes no product in this guide) - 1955 Cutter polio vaccine incident
Civil (product liability) Outcome: Cutter found not negligent but liable without fault (breach of warranty).
US law: vaccine makers' liability and injury compensation
- US National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act 1986: no vaccine maker is liable in a civil action 'if the injury or death resulted from side effects that were unavoidable even though the vaccine was properly prepared and was accompanied by proper directions and warnings'. source
- Claims for covered vaccines must first go to the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), not to court. source
- The Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that this bars design-defect claims (Bruesewitz v. Wyeth, above). source
- PREP Act: a declaration by the HHS Secretary gives makers and others immunity from liability for covered countermeasures, including COVID-19 vaccines, except for 'willful misconduct'. The only compensation route is the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP). source source 2
- VICP payouts (HRSA data, as of the 1 Jan 2025 report): total outlays since 1988 of $5,323,056,559.90, including $4.78 billion paid to petitioners. Of 24,464 petitions adjudicated, 11,564 were compensated and 12,900 dismissed. source
- HRSA: 'Approximately 60% of all compensation awarded by the VICP comes as result of a negotiated settlement... in which HHS has not concluded... that the alleged vaccine(s) caused the alleged injury.' HRSA's latest monthly report is dated 1 Oct 2026; its PDF could not be downloaded for this guide, so the Jan 2025 totals are shown. source
- CICP, COVID-19 claims as of 1 Oct 2026: 14,250 filed (11,198 alleging vaccine injury), 8,369 decided, 120 found eligible and 66 compensated, with 8,249 denied. source
COVID-19 vaccine side effects: reassured, then confirmed (dated)
Only side effects that official bodies later confirmed are included. Each step is quoted from the linked source.
AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) and blood clots with low platelets (TTS)
- Reassurance 11 Mar 2021, EMA: 'There is currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine.' The number of clotting events in vaccinated people was 'no higher than the number seen in the general population'. source
- Reassurance 11 Mar 2021, MHRA (quoted by BBC): no evidence the vaccine had caused the problems; 'Blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon.' source
- Confirmed 7 Apr 2021, EMA: unusual blood clots with low platelets 'should be listed as very rare side effects'. The benefit-risk balance remained positive. source
- Confirmed 7 Apr 2021, MHRA: evidence of a link 'is stronger'; overall risk about 4 per million doses. JCVI advised offering under-30s an alternative where available. source source 2
- Admitted in court Feb 2024, UK court document: AstraZeneca accepted the vaccine 'can, in very rare cases, cause TTS', while disputing the claims. source
- Withdrawn Mar-May 2024: authorisations withdrawn. AstraZeneca's stated reason was 'a surplus of available updated vaccines' and declining demand; EMA records the reason as 'commercial reasons'. source source 2
mRNA vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna) and myocarditis/pericarditis
- Early reports Late Apr 2021: Israel's Health Ministry was examining heart-inflammation reports after the Pfizer vaccine, and the US military was reviewing 14 cases after mRNA vaccines. source
- Reassurance 27 Apr 2021, CDC Director: 'We have not seen a signal and we've actually looked intentionally for the signal in the over 200 million doses we've given.' An FDA spokeswoman said FDA had not seen 'any safety signals for myocarditis'. source source 2
- Confirmed 23 Jun 2021, CDC advisers (ACIP): a 'likely association' of myocarditis with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in adolescents and young adults, mostly males after dose 2. The benefits were still judged to outweigh the risks (published in MMWR 9 Jul 2021). source
- Confirmed 25 Jun 2021, FDA: warnings of increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis added to the Pfizer and Moderna fact sheets. source
- Confirmed 9 Jul 2021, EMA: myocarditis and pericarditis 'can occur in very rare cases' after Comirnaty and Spikevax, to be listed as side effects. source
- Which vaccines: the confirmations above name the two mRNA vaccines. For Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) and the Janssen vaccine, EMA said 'no causal relationship with myocarditis or pericarditis could be established' at that time. source
Large non-vaccine fines and settlements (summary)
Totals per company, $100 million+ items only (calculated by this guide from the items below)
| Company | Items | Total (nominal US$) |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer | 4 | $4.01 billion |
| GSK | 3 | $4.24 billion |
| Merck | 2 | $1.6 billion |
| AstraZeneca | 2 | $875 million |
| Sanofi | 2 | $299 million |
| Johnson & Johnson | 2 | $7.2 billion |
- None of these fines or settlements was about a vaccine. (checked against each linked release)
- The list covers fines and settlements of $100 million or more found in official DOJ releases (plus one Chinese court fine reported by Reuters, and one state attorneys-general settlement). It is not exhaustive. IRS tax settlements and private lawsuits (e.g. patent disputes) are excluded. Violation Tracker is a database for a fuller list. source
- No fines or settlements of $100 million or more from official bodies were found for Moderna, BioNTech or CSL Seqirus. (searched 22 Oct 2026)
- Totals add nominal US dollars from different years, not adjusted for inflation. J&J's opioid figure is a maximum payable over time. ((calculated by this guide))
Show the individual items
| Company | Year | Amount | What it was for | Criminal / civil | Plea or settlement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pfizer | 2004 | $430 million | Warner-Lambert: Neurontin off-label promotion | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea source |
| Pfizer | 2009 | $2.3 billion | Bextra and 3 other drugs: off-label promotion, kickbacks. Included a $1.195bn criminal fine, which DOJ called 'the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States for any matter' | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea (Pharmacia & Upjohn); civil part settled source |
| Pfizer | 2013 | $490.9 million | Wyeth: Rapamune off-label promotion | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea (misbranding); civil part settled source |
| Pfizer | 2016 | $784.6 million | Wyeth: Protonix Medicaid rebates | Civil | Settlement ('do not deny the government's allegations') source |
| GSK | 2010 | $750 million | SB Pharmco (Cidra, Puerto Rico): adulterated drugs | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea (felony); civil part settled source |
| GSK | 2012 | $3 billion | Paxil, Wellbutrin off-label promotion; Avandia safety data not reported; pricing | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea; civil claims 'allegations only' source |
| GSK | 2014 | $489 million | GSK China: bribery (Changsha court; 3 billion yuan) | Criminal | Found guilty by court source |
| Merck | 2008 | $650 million | Medicaid rebates and kickbacks | Civil | Settlement source |
| Merck | 2011 | $950 million | Vioxx promotion and cardiovascular-safety statements | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea (misdemeanour); civil part settled source |
| AstraZeneca | 2003 | $355 million | Zoladex pricing and free samples | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea; civil part settled source |
| AstraZeneca | 2010 | $520 million | Seroquel off-label marketing | Civil | Settlement source |
| Sanofi | 2007 | $190 million | Aventis: Anzemet pricing | Civil | Settlement source |
| Sanofi | 2012 | $109 million | Hyalgan free units (kickbacks) | Civil | Settlement source |
| Johnson & Johnson | 2013 | $2.2 billion | Risperdal, Invega, Natrecor off-label promotion and kickbacks | Criminal + civil | Guilty plea (Janssen, misbranding); civil part settled source |
| Johnson & Johnson | 2021 | $5 billion | Opioids: national settlement with states and local governments, reached 2021 and finalised (up to $5bn over no more than 9 years) | Civil | Settlement source |
Accountability: statements and the record
Public statements from the COVID-19 response, mainly by Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx, plus other officials and a manufacturer where the same claim was made, set next to what documents, testimony and data later showed. Quotes are verbatim from the source linked beside them. Each row also gives the person's own response or the wider context. The “status” column is a short neutral description, not a verdict.
What was said vs what the record later showed
| When / who | What was said | What the record later showed | Their response / context | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May 2021Fauci (Senate HELP hearing) | “The NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.” source | NIH letter, 20 Oct 2021: in an NIH-funded experiment, mice infected with one modified bat coronavirus “became sicker”, and EcoHealth “failed to report this finding right away, as was required”. NIH Deputy Director Tabak, 16 May 2024: “If you are speaking about the generic term, yes, we did, but the generic term is research that goes on in many, many labs around the country.” source source | Fauci, 3 Jun 2024: “according to the regulatory and operative definition of P3CO, the NIH did not fund gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.” NIH's 2021 letter also said the viruses studied “are not and could not have become SARS-CoV-2”. source source | Disputed: depends on which definition of “gain-of-function” is used |
| 8 Mar 2020Fauci (CBS 60 Minutes) | “There's no reason to be walking around with a mask.” source source | CDC recommended cloth face coverings in public on 3 Apr 2020; Fauci later supported masking. source | Jan 2024 sworn interview: three reasons at the time (expected shortage of masks for health workers, no good evidence outside hospitals, asymptomatic spread not appreciated). “We learned the answers to those three questions, which had me change my position … otherwise referred to some as flip-flopping. But I didn't flip-flop.” source | Changed; he attributes the change to new evidence |
| Dec 2020Fauci (New York Times interview) | “When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75%. Then, when newer surveys said 60% or more would take it, I thought, ‘I can nudge this up a bit,’ so I went to 80, 85.” source | Same article: his public estimate had moved from 60-70% to “70, 75%” to “75, 80, 85%” within weeks. source | The article says he moved it partly because of new science and partly because he felt the country was ready to hear it. He also said: “We really don't know what the real number is.” Other epidemiologists quoted agreed the early range was probably too low. source | Acknowledged by him at the time |
| 16 May 2021Fauci (CBS Face the Nation) | “…you become a dead end to the virus. And when there are a lot of dead ends around, the virus is not going to go anywhere.” source | CDC director Walensky, 27 Jul 2021 (Delta): “Some vaccinated people infected with the delta variant after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others.” CDC restored indoor masking advice for vaccinated people in high-spread areas. source | In the same interview he said transmission by vaccinated people was “extremely unlikely, not impossible”. Walensky: “Unlike the alpha variant that we had back in May … this is different now with a delta variant.” source source | Superseded by later data (Delta variant) |
| Dec 2020 - Sep 2021Officials and Pfizer: “safe and effective” | MHRA chief Dr June Raine, 2 Dec 2020: “the UK is now one step closer to providing a safe and effective vaccine”. Pfizer, 31 Mar 2021: in 12-15-year-olds the vaccine “demonstrated 100% efficacy” (18 cases on placebo, 0 vaccinated). CDC director Walensky, 29 Mar 2021: “Our data from the CDC today suggests that vaccinated people do not carry the virus, don't get sick.” President Biden, 21 Jul 2021: “you're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations.” And 9 Sep 2021: “the vaccine is safe, effective, and free.” source source source source source | CDC, 1 Apr 2021: “Dr. Walensky spoke broadly … It's possible that some people who are fully vaccinated could get Covid-19.” FDA added a myocarditis warning on 25 Jun 2021. Use of the J&J vaccine was limited in May 2022, and its US authorisation was revoked at the company's request in Jun 2023. AstraZeneca's EU authorisation was withdrawn at its own request in Mar 2024. UK data: two-dose Pfizer protection against symptomatic Omicron fell from 65.5% at 2-4 weeks to 8.8% after 25 weeks. source source source source source source | We found no official who said “100% safe”. In 2024 FDA's Peter Marks testified: “No pharmaceutical is 100% safe.” The subcommittee chairman said the public “hear 100% safe and 100% effective” when officials say “safe and effective”. Pfizer's 100% figure counted symptomatic cases only, with no tests for silent infection. AP said Biden's town-hall claim went too far. CDC data in 2021 still showed far fewer hospitalisations and deaths among the vaccinated. source source source source | Absolute claims later qualified; protection against severe illness held up better than against infection |
| 2020 guidance; Jan 2024 interviewFauci on the 6-foot rule | Federal guidance from 2020 told people to keep 6 feet apart (in schools, businesses and Congress, as the interviewer noted). source | Fauci, sworn interview Jan 2024: “You know, I don't recall. It sort of just appeared.” Asked about studies: “I was not aware of studies that -- in fact, that would be a very difficult study to do.” It was “an empiric decision that wasn't based on data or even data that could be accomplished.” source | Fauci, 3 Jun 2024: “It actually came from the CDC.” “What I meant by ‘no science behind it’ is that there wasn't a controlled trial that said, compare 6-foot with 3 feet with 10 feet.” He said CDC relied on older studies of how far droplets travel. source | Acknowledged: not based on a specific study |
| 17 Apr 2020Fauci (White House briefing) | On the virus's origin, citing a new paper: “…the mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now is totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human.” source | Kristian Andersen's email to Fauci, 31 Jan 2020: “some of the features (potentially) look engineered”. After a 1 Feb call, his team's paper (17 Mar 2020) said: “we do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible.” US intelligence agencies remain divided on the origin. source source source | Fauci, 3 Jun 2024: the scientists changed their view after further examination; “I had no input into the content of the published paper”; “I have always kept an open mind to the different possibilities.” source | Still contested: the origin is unresolved |
| 3 Jun 2024Fauci on his adviser David Morens | “I knew nothing of Dr. Morens's actions regarding Dr. Daszak, EcoHealth, or his emails.” And: “to the best of my knowledge, I have never conducted official business using my personal email.” source | Morens email, 24 Feb 2021: “i learned from our foia lady here how to make emails disappear after i am foia'd but before the search starts”. On 18 Aug 2026 Morens pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by hiding federal records in his personal Gmail. Court papers refer to an unnamed “Senior NIAID Official 1”. source source | Morens told Congress in May 2024 that some remarks were “snarky jokes” and that he did not knowingly delete official records. Fauci has not been charged in connection with Morens. source source | Adviser pleaded guilty; Fauci not charged |
| 16 Mar 2020 onwardWhite House: “15 Days to Slow the Spread” | The 16 Mar 2020 guidelines were titled “15 Days to Slow the Spread”. In Jan 2024 Fauci told House investigators the aim was this: “It was to flatten the curve, so that it wasn't necessarily geared at decreasing the ultimate number of cases, but the number of cases that we could actually handle.” source source | On 31 Mar 2020 the guidelines were extended as “30 Days to Slow the Spread”, to 30 Apr 2020. CDC's 6-foot distancing advice stayed until 11 Aug 2022. The federal COVID-19 public health emergency ended on 11 May 2023. Most closures and orders were set by states, so how long they lasted varied by state. source source source | Fauci, Jan 2024: “no one, I think, really believed that a pause for 15 days with an outbreak that's doing this exponentially is going to be the final solution.” For Dr Birx's own account of planning the extension, see the Birx “15 Days” row below. source | Extended within two weeks; some federal guidance lasted until 2022-23 |
| 16 Mar 2020Birx (“15 Days to Slow the Spread”) | The White House issued “15 Days to Slow the Spread” guidelines. Fauci later said Dr Birx “was the main driver of that”. source source | Birx, in her 2022 book: “No sooner had we convinced the Trump administration to implement our version of a two-week shutdown than I was trying to figure out how to extend it. Fifteen Days to Slow the Spread was a start, but I knew it would be just that.” source source | Her book says the aim was slowing the spread while making measures acceptable to the administration. Fauci (Jan 2024): “I think it was an empiric choice on the part of Debbie”, made “knowing deep down that it was going to be more” than 15 days. source source | Acknowledged in her own book (see also the White House “15 Days” row above) |
| Dec 2020 / Jul 2022Birx on vaccines and infection | 16 Dec 2020: “This is one of the most highly effective vaccines we have in our infectious disease arsenal.” source | 22 Jul 2022 on Fox News: “I knew these vaccines were not going to protect against infection. And I think we overplayed the vaccines…” source | In the same answer she said vaccines will protect against severe disease and urged vaccination, especially over 70. PolitiFact found she said in Dec 2020: “we don't know how great these vaccines might be against preventing infection.” source source | Disputed: critics call it a reversal; PolitiFact found her consistent |
| 16 Jul - 9 Sep 2021Walensky and Biden: “pandemic of the unvaccinated” | Walensky, 16 Jul 2021: “This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Biden, 21 Jul 2021: “We have a pandemic for those who haven't gotten a vaccination.” Biden, 9 Sep 2021: “This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” We found no UK minister using the phrase; Ireland's Leo Varadkar used it in Nov 2021. source source source source source source | From 1 May 2021, CDC only investigated breakthrough cases that ended in hospital or death, and said reported breakthroughs were “likely a substantial undercount”. Under Delta, the gap in case rates between unvaccinated and vaccinated narrowed from 11.1 times to 4.6 times. Walensky, 5 Aug 2021: vaccines “continue to work well with delta with regard to severe illness and death … But what they can't do anymore is prevent transmission.” source source source | Same CDC data: under Delta, people not fully vaccinated were still 10.4 times as likely to be hospitalised and 11.3 times as likely to die. On 16 Jul Walensky said about 97% of people entering hospital with COVID were unvaccinated. CDC kept running studies that counted all breakthrough infections. source source source | Supported for severe illness in mid-2021; not for infection and spread |
Dr Fauci at the Senate, 29 July 2026
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Chairman Rand Paul, Ranking Member Gary Peters), “Testimony of Anthony Fauci”, Dirksen SD-342, 8:30 am. source source
- What happened: Under subpoena, Dr Fauci (85) gave a short prepared statement, then answered every question with: “On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.” In the official transcript this answer appears 111 times (the guide's own count). source source source
- The pardon: On 19 Jan 2025 President Biden gave him “A Full and Unconditional Pardon” for federal offences from 1 Jan 2014 related to his roles. Chairman Paul ruled the Fifth Amendment unavailable for that period (citing Brown v. Walker, 1896), and also ruled that Fauci had waived it with his opening statement. source source
- His stated reasons: “…given Senator Paul's obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution, his repeated slanderous comments about me, and recently his publicly releasing my unredacted personal diary … the only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this Committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up in, in his words, ‘behind bars.’” He noted he had testified or briefed Congress “well over 200 times”. source
- His lawyer: David Schertler: Fauci “has a valid Fifth Amendment privilege, and he has the right to assert it.” The circumstances “regrettably made his continued cooperation impossible.” NBC reported the pardon was a factor, because Republicans had suggested it would not cover new statements. source
- Committee members: Republicans questioned his advice on lockdowns and his account of virus origins. Democrats described the hearing as an effort to entrap him into perjury; Ranking Member Peters said it “does real damage” and would deter experts from public service. source source
What has happened since
- 6 Aug 2026: The committee voted 8-7 along party lines to hold him in contempt and approved a resolution asking the President of the Senate to certify it to the US Attorney for DC. source source source
- 6 Aug 2026: Paul delivered the referral straight to the Justice Department without a full Senate vote. A DOJ spokesperson said the department was “reviewing it and will work with the Senate accordingly.” source source
- Late Aug-Sep 2026: The WSJ reported the push had stalled, with officials questioning whether skipping a full Senate vote is procedurally sound. Legal commentators note that the contempt statute (2 U.S.C. 194) and a 1966 appeals ruling require the full chamber to act while it is in session. source source source
- As of 22 Oct 2026: The guide found no public report of any charge against Dr Fauci. Separately, his former adviser David Morens pleaded guilty on 18 Aug 2026; sentencing was set for November. source source
Watch (links open at the moment shown; nothing plays on this page)
Timestamps are for C-SPAN's full-length upload on YouTube and were checked against its captions. The official committee video is on the hearing page. Short news clips: CNN CBS. Write-ups: AP Reuters NBC. source source
- 0:00:00 Chairman Paul's opening statement (the upload joins it in progress).
- 0:12:25 Ranking Member Peters' opening statement.
- 0:21:37 Fauci is recognised and reads his prepared statement, ending by invoking the Fifth Amendment.
- 0:25:40 First question and first invocation; Paul points to 2 U.S.C. 192 in the red folder.
- 0:40:20 Paul says he has denied the privilege claim “despite the existence of the pardon”; Fauci's lawyer is then removed from the room.
- 1:15:36 Senator Blumenthal declines to question and compares the hearing to the McCarthy era.
- 1:41:22 Senator Hawley asks simple questions (day of the week, tie colour); each gets the same answer.
- 2:53:00 Paul announces a committee vote on contempt the following week.
Earlier clips cited in the table
- 0:01:22 16 Jul 2021: Walensky, “This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated” (White House).
- 0:00:51 9 Sep 2021: Biden, “the vaccine is safe, effective, and free” (White House).
- 0:02:48 9 Sep 2021: Biden, “This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated” (White House).
- 0:01:50 11 May 2021: Fauci to Senator Paul on Wuhan funding (The Hill).
- 0:03:26 20 Jul 2021: “Senator Paul, you do not know what you are talking about” (C-SPAN).
- 0:06:03 20 Jul 2021: “if anybody is lying here, Senator, it is you” (C-SPAN).
- 0:00:29 8 Mar 2020: “There's no reason to be walking around with a mask” (60 Minutes).
Dr Deborah Birx: statements in her own words
Dr Birx was the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator in 2020-21. These are her own words from her 2022 book, her sworn House testimony, and a 2022 television interview.
- 2022, book, on extending “15 Days”: “No sooner had we convinced the Trump administration to implement our version of a two-week shutdown than I was trying to figure out how to extend it. Fifteen Days to Slow the Spread was a start, but I knew it would be just that. I didn't have the numbers in front of me yet to make the case for extending it longer, but I had two weeks to get them.” Fauci later described the 15 days as “an empiric choice on the part of Debbie”. source source source
- 2022, book, on the gathering limit: “I had settled on ten knowing that even that was too many, but I figured that ten would at least be palatable for most Americans…” The word “palatable” in the book refers to the ten-person limit and to making measures acceptable to the administration; the book does not say the 15-day length itself was chosen for that reason. source source
- 2022, book, on early messaging: “We had to make these palatable to the administration by avoiding the obvious appearance of a full Italian lockdown. At the same time, we needed the measures to be effective at slowing the spread…” Her stated aim: slow spread without the word “lockdown”, which she says would have got her sidelined. source source
- 2022, book, on her reports to state governors: “Our Saturday and Sunday report-writing routine soon became: write, submit, revise, hide, resubmit.” She describes putting back advice that White House officials had edited out, so that governors still received it. source source
- 23 Jun 2022, House testimony, asked whether officials were guessing or lying when they said vaccinated people could not transmit: “I think it was hope that the vaccine would work in that way, and that is why I think scientists and public health leaders always have to be at the table, being very clear about what we know and what we do not know.” Also: “we never had the data that it was going to protect against asymptomatic infection.” She explained the original trials measured only symptomatic disease. source
- 23 Jun 2022, House testimony, on deaths in the first year: She agreed with a member's summary that “more than 130,000 American lives could have been saved” with better mitigation: “Through that first year of the pandemic, correct.” This is her own estimate, drawn from a 2021 interview with the subcommittee. source
- 22 Jul 2022, Fox News, on vaccines: “I knew these vaccines were not going to protect against infection. And I think we overplayed the vaccines, and it made people then worry that it's not going to protect against severe disease and hospitalization. It will.” In the same answer she urged vaccination and boosters, especially for people over 70. Video is on the Fox page. source source
How this section was built: we included only items with a primary source (an official transcript, letter, court document or the original broadcast) or a direct quotation from one, and quoted them exactly. Where a quote is taken from a book, we link both the book and the review that reproduces the passage. Morens's 2024 testimony is summarised from news reports; the hearing page is here: source.