Making History with Breakthrough Science & Collaboration

It’s incredible to think we’re one year on from that moment in history we will all remember – March 11, 2020 – when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared #COVID19 a global pandemic. And yet, in these past twelve months, we’ve seen the impossible become possible.

Across the healthcare ecosystem, we have been united by a shared resolve to help bring the world through this crisis, and at Pfizer, we’ve led the way through science and collaboration. Looking back, it’s been an extraordinary journey!

On March 13, 2020, just two days after the WHO declaration, Pfizer issued a Five-Point Plan to harness the collective expertise of our industry, and partner closely with regulatory and health authorities around the world to find solutions. We then focused our efforts on breakthrough science, working with our partner BioNTech to develop an mRNA vaccine. And, by combining the power of both science and partnership, we achieved the unimaginable: on November 20, 2020 – just 248 days after announcing our BioNTech collaboration – we filed with the FDA for emergency use authorization of our COVID-19 vaccine.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of our colleagues, the courage of the 46,000 volunteers in our clinical trials, our partnerships with industry and governments around the world and so many more. I am especially proud to work side-by-side with my colleagues at Pfizer, knowing that when we pull together, we can make breakthroughs come to life! 

Personally, this has also been a time of great self-discovery and reflection. Early on in the pandemic, I found myself in a place of helplessness and sadness about the tragedies around the world. But it quickly turned into empowerment – when I realized that what I was doing and the decisions I made could help change the course of the pandemic. And that has fueled me every single day over the last year to have an unrelenting focus on bringing the vaccine to as many people as possible around the world, as fast as possible.

This year has impacted every aspect of our lives, and the losses we’ve experienced will never be forgotten—but nor will the breakthroughs we’ve made, and how they have reshaped the future of health and society. I wear my “Science Will Win” t-shirt proudly!

I invite you to read this letter from my CEO @AlbertBourla, published in recognition of the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has not been approved or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but has been authorized for emergency use by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for use in individuals 16 years of age and older. The emergency use of this product is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of the medical product under Section 564(b)(1) of the FD&C Act unless the declaration is terminated or authorization revoked sooner. Please see EUA Fact Sheet at www.cvdvaccine.com