Senator Ron Johnson presented new data to Dr. Anthony Fauci during a Senate hearing, arguing that adverse event statistics should have prompted earlier scrutiny of COVID-19 vaccines and Remdesivir.
Johnson had previously confronted Fauci with studies on ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, noting that federal officials had dismissed evidence supporting these alternative treatments.
He displayed a chart comparing adverse event reports for several products, listing 5,127 events for ivermectin, 37,270 for hydroxychloroquine, 243,335 for flu vaccines, 143,017 for dexamethasone, 184,186 for Tylenol, 10,657 for Remdesivir, and 1,677,227 for COVID-19 vaccines.
The chart highlighted 9,342 deaths reported within the first two days after COVID-19 vaccination, a figure Johnson cited as a safety signal.
Johnson emphasized that while the data do not establish causation, they warrant thorough investigation rather than dismissal.
He questioned the relative safety of these treatments, asking which was safest and why regulators had focused on certain drugs.
Johnson then addressed potential conflicts of interest, noting that several members of the federal panel had financial ties to Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of Remdesivir.
He cited that nine panel members disclosed relationships, with additional members having prior ties and some serving on Gilead’s advisory board.
Johnson suggested these connections may have influenced the panel’s recommendations, favoring Remdesivir while discouraging hydroxychloroquine.
He also referenced communications between Dr. Drew Weissman and Dr. Fauci from February 8, 2020, implying earlier awareness of vaccine safety concerns.
The hearing follows months of scrutiny over the federal response to COVID-19, with critics arguing that evidence of vaccine-related injuries was not adequately investigated.
Johnson challenged Dr. Fauci on the lack of evidence for ivermectin and the process that led to emergency use authorization for mRNA vaccines.
