Pfizer Initially Refused to Produce a Vaccine

The biggest step taken in the coronavirus epidemic, which has affected our lives in every aspect since the day it started and still continues at the point reached after 1.5 years, was undoubtedly the development of vaccines. In this regard, besides China’s Sinovac vaccine, it is the most applied vaccine all over the world. BioNTech vaccine. Moreover, recent studies show that one of the most effective vaccines is BioNTech.

However, with a new information that has emerged, the production of the mRNA vaccine produced by the BioNTech – Pfizer partnership has been realized by Pfizer. rejected in the first place learned. According to the news in The Telegraph newspaper, Pfizer decided to produce the vaccine by Dr. Özlem Türeci and Prof. Dr. He accepted as a result of insistence made by Uğur Şahin.

They thought that the epidemic would be brought under control in a short time:

Pfizer’s vice president and chief scientific officer, Dr. Phil Dormitzer stated that in January 2020, when the epidemic started to show its effect, in his studies and observations, the epidemic was similar to Sars or Mers viruses. will soon be brought under control. came to the conclusion. Dormitzer said that the mRNA vaccine, which changed the course of the epidemic, was at that time. ‘too experimental’ Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin rejected the BioNTech – Pfizer joint vaccine production offer, saying that ‘this will not work’, because she thought that the epidemic was already under control and that the epidemic would be brought under control in a short time.

The Türeci couple met with Dormitzer again after a while after the first negative response they received, and a partnership decision was made shortly after. Uğur Şahin said that he had a detailed image in his mind about the course of the epidemic and how it would end, but the response given by Dormitzer at that time was extremely ‘reasonable‘ he says he found it.

These events, which tell the beginning of the story of the production of the vaccine, are written by journalist Joe Miller in collaboration with the couple Şahin & Türeci and will be published in the coming weeks. In the book ‘The Vaccine’ is located.