Bill Gates Appears to Have Bought Off Health Regulator That Approved His New Covid Vaccine

(Becker News) Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are the primary source of funding for the UK’s Medicine & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the health regulator that granted emergency authorization for vaccines developed by companies in which Gates has financial interests.

The MHRA also recently approved a new Covid vaccine backed by Gates’ funding called SKYCovion that is approved for people aged 18 and above. The foundation holds significant shares in Pfizer and BioNTech, two major pharmaceutical companies.

In June 2021, the MHRA extended the emergency authorization for Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccines to be administered to children between the ages of 12 and 15 in the UK. The decision was based on the agency’s review of clinical trial data, which the Chief Executive, Dr. June Raine, claimed demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine in this age group, with the benefits outweighing any risks. However, critics argue that the statement contradicted the findings of a small-scale study that showed a high rate of adverse reactions among the children involved.

The Pfizer clinical trial included 1,127 children, but only 1,097 completed the trial, with 30 participants dropping out after receiving the first dose of the vaccine. The reasons for their withdrawal are not provided in the publicly available information from the FDA. Despite these concerns, the MHRA granted emergency authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine’s use in children.

The fact that Bill Gates has financial interests in both Pfizer and BioNTech, along with being the primary funder of the MHRA, raises questions about a potential conflict of interest in the decision-making process. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation acquired shares in Pfizer in 2002 and increased their value by promoting Pfizer’s vaccines in the media in September 2020. During a CNBC interview, Gates expressed his confidence in the Pfizer vaccine, even though he lacks formal medical or scientific qualifications. Furthermore, the foundation purchased $55 million worth of shares in BioNTech shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2019.

In 2017, the Gates Foundation granted £980,000 ($1.28M) to the MHRA for collaboration purposes. In response to a Freedom of Information request, the MHRA disclosed in May 2021 that the Gates Foundation’s current level of grant funding amounts to $3 million, supporting various projects.