US drugmaker Pfizer on Wednesday confirmed that suspect doses of its coronavirus vaccine that were seized in Mexico and Poland were indeed fake, with doses going for as much as $1,000 a shot, according to US media.

At a clinic in Mexico some 80 people received bogus doses of the drug, which appeared to have been physically harmless, though offering no protection against the potentially deadly disease ravaging the country, a report in the Wall Street Journal said.

The vials were found in beer coolers and were initially identified by fabricated lot numbers and expiration dates, Mexican officials said.

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Mexican Deputy Health Secretary Hugo Lopez Gatell confirms the discovery of fake Covid vaccines on sale in Mexico. "This clinic was found, selling what were supposed to be Pfizer vaccines, at exorbitant prices of up to 40,000-50,000 pesos", he said.

The liquid in the confiscated vials in Poland was a cosmetic substance, thought to be anti-wrinkle cream, the company said.

"We are cognizant that in this type of environment,&nbsp;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&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;and treatments for Covid-19," a Pfizer spokesperson told ABC News.

In February, health authorities in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon warned about "clandestine" sales of "alleged Covid vaccines" and urged people not to take them.&nbsp;

In March, the World Health Organization also warned of "falsified" Pfizer vaccines found in Mexico and warned that the shots "may still be in circulation in the region."

Pfizer tested the bogus vials and found they did not contain the two-shot vaccine it developed with BioNTech.

Lev Kubiak, Pfizer's head of global security, said the desperate need and the shortfall in vaccines had led to the scams.

"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," he told the Wall Street Journal.

Mexico is also examining a shipment of 6,000 doses of what is claimed to be the Russian vaccine Sputnik that were seized on a private plane headed for Honduras last month, the newspaper said.

(With inputs from agencies)

US drugmaker Pfizer on Wednesday confirmed that suspect doses of its coronavirus vaccine that were seized in Mexico and Poland were indeed fake, with doses going for as much as $1,000 a shot, according to US media.

US drugmaker Pfizer on Wednesday confirmed that suspect doses of its coronavirus vaccine that were seized in Mexico and Poland were indeed fake, with doses going for as much as $1,000 a shot, according to US media. At a clinic in Mexico some 80 people received bogus doses of the drug, which appeared to have been physically harmless, though offering no protection against the potentially deadly disease ravaging the country, a report in the Wall Street Journal said. The vials were found in beer coolers and were initially identified by fabricated lot numbers and expiration dates, Mexican officials said. Mexican Deputy Health Secretary Hugo Lopez Gatell confirms the discovery of fake Covid vaccines on sale in Mexico. "This clinic was found, selling what were supposed to be Pfizer vaccines, at exorbitant prices of up to 40,000-50,000 pesos", he said. The liquid in the confiscated vials in Poland was a cosmetic substance, thought to be anti-wrinkle cream, the company said. "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," a Pfizer spokesperson told ABC News. In February, health authorities in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon warned about "clandestine" sales of "alleged Covid vaccines" and urged people not to take them. In March, the World Health Organization also warned of "falsified" Pfizer vaccines found in Mexico and warned that the shots "may still be in circulation in the region." Pfizer tested the bogus vials and found they did not contain the two-shot vaccine it developed with BioNTech. Lev Kubiak, Pfizer's head of global security, said the desperate need and the shortfall in vaccines had led to the scams. "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," he told the Wall Street Journal. Mexico is also examining a shipment of 6,000 doses of what is claimed to be the Russian vaccine Sputnik that were seized on a private plane headed for Honduras last month, the newspaper said. (With inputs from agencies)

Pfizer identifies fake COVID-19 shots abroad as criminals exploit vaccine demand

A massive study involving 1.2 million people published on Wednesday showed that Pfizer-BioNTech's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>is 94 per cent effective.&nbsp;

For the Israeli study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 600,000 people received Pfizer's drug and an equal number of people did not receive the shots.

Watch |&nbsp;

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The people involved in both groups had similar characteristics, like age, sex, medical condition, among others.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-pfizer-tried-to-bully-argentina-and-brazil-in-exchange-for-vaccines-366037">How Pfizer tried to bully Argentina and Brazil in exchange for vaccines</a>

Pfizer's vaccine, the study found, was 94 per cent effective against symptomatic Covid-19 seven or more days after the second dose was administered.

However, the efficacy for symptomatic patients reduced to 57 per cent between 14-20 days after the first dose.&nbsp;

The results of this Israeli study is close to the 95 per cent efficacy that Pfizer achieved during Phase 3 clinical trials.

It also found people who received the second shot had a 92 per cent lower chance of getting any form of infection at all compared to those who were not vaccinated.&nbsp;

"This is the first peer-reviewed large scale evidence for the effectiveness of a vaccine in real world conditions," Ben Reis, a researcher at Harvard Medical School and one of the study's authors, told news agency AFP.

The study was conducted between December 20, 2020 and February 1, 2021, a period when a newer variant first confirmed in the UK was rampant in Israel, suggesting that the vaccine works well against the variant that has alarmed experts across the world.&nbsp;

 
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A massive study involving 1.2 million people published on Wednesday showed that Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine is 94 per cent effective. For the Israeli study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 600,000 people received Pfizer's drug and an equal number of people did not receive the shots.

A massive study involving 1.2 million people published on Wednesday showed that Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine is 94 per cent effective. For the Israeli study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 600,000 people received Pfizer's drug and an equal number of people did not receive the shots. Watch | The people involved in both groups had similar characteristics, like age, sex, medical condition, among others. Also read | How Pfizer tried to bully Argentina and Brazil in exchange for vaccines Pfizer's vaccine, the study found, was 94 per cent effective against symptomatic Covid-19 seven or more days after the second dose was administered. However, the efficacy for symptomatic patients reduced to 57 per cent between 14-20 days after the first dose. The results of this Israeli study is close to the 95 per cent efficacy that Pfizer achieved during Phase 3 clinical trials. It also found people who received the second shot had a 92 per cent lower chance of getting any form of infection at all compared to those who were not vaccinated. "This is the first peer-reviewed large scale evidence for the effectiveness of a vaccine in real world conditions," Ben Reis, a researcher at Harvard Medical School and one of the study's authors, told news agency AFP. The study was conducted between December 20, 2020 and February 1, 2021, a period when a newer variant first confirmed in the UK was rampant in Israel, suggesting that the vaccine works well against the variant that has alarmed experts across the world.

Large study shows Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine 94% effective

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Pfizer identifies fake COVID-19 shots abroad as criminals exploit vaccine demand

Large study shows Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine 94% effective