The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the Department of Health
are at odds over allowing the public access to the hearing regarding authorisation by SAHPRA for
the use of the “Covid-19 vaccine” known as “Comirnaty” of Pfizer/BioNTech for children aged 12 –
18 years of age and the authorisation for paediatric trials to be conducted on children aged between
6 months and 18 years of age involving the administration of the “Covid-19 vaccine” known as
Sinovac/Coronavac of Sinovac Life Sciences Co (imported by Curanto Pharma (Pty) Ltd).
Following an almost four-month delay on the part of the Minister to constitute an appeals committee,
this committee informed Free the Children’s attorneys on 31 January that they had set the hearing
of the appeal for 11 and 14 February 2022.
As a precursor to the commencement of proceedings, a pre-hearing meeting was held on
Wednesday 8th February 2022.
Those in attendance included, as chairperson, the appointee of the
Minister of Health, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC, the two representatives of SAHPRA, Prof
Salim Abdool Karim and Prof Glenda Gray, as well as the two representatives of Free the Children,
namely Dr Herman Edeling and Dr Stephen Schmidt.
At this meeting, the chairperson ruled that:
• the public be allowed access to the proceedings and that only during the presentation of
confidential information would the public be excluded;
• contrary to the usual rules of engagement, that no cross-examination of witnesses would be
allowed and that only members of the committee would be allowed to pose questions to the
witnesses;
• SAHPRA provide the full and complete documentation regarding the approval of the “Covid19 vaccines”;
• SAHPRA present their case first, including that of their witnesses on 11th and 14th February,
and
• Free the Children present their case, including witness testimony, in reply to SAHPRAs
evidence at dates to be decided in the near future.
Today, in a day of flip-flopping directions, SAHPRA’s attorneys, Marivate Attorneys Incorporated,
first, challenged the ruling that SAHPRA lead their case first and, second, challenged the ruling
allowing access to the public.
Barely a few hours later, the Department of Health posted a media release giving details of access
by the public to these hearings.
“It is hardly surprising to see this clash of ideologies,” commented John Taylor, Free the Children
chief executive. “The chairperson is clearly aligned with the desires of the Minister of Health for a
transparent and open revelation to the public of the rationale behind the approval of the “Covid-19
vaccines” whereas SAHPRA seem extremely reluctant to be held to account for their dealings with
Pfizer. We must remember that Pfizer is the company that has paid the largest health care fraud
settlement in the history of the USA Department of Justice.
In addition, the errant SAHPRA has not delivered the required documentation as ruled by the
chairperson, demonstrating their clear contempt for his judicial role and their bulldog determination
to frustrate the course of open and transparent justice.
“As we have repeatedly warned, conducting medical trials on children in order to test the efficacy
and effectiveness of “Covid-19 vaccines” is not in the best interest of children. It seems clear from
their behaviour that SAHPRA do not especially care for nor respect the human rights of children as
guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the Constitution,” stated John Taylor.
“We are all likely to regret this pell-mell rush to potentially cause more harm than good to the most
vulnerable members of humanity – we all have a duty of care to protect future generations.”
Free the Children – Save the Nation NPC (“Free the Children”), is fighting a statutory appeal against
the authorisation of Covid-19 vaccines for use on children between 12 and 17 years of age.
Free the Children – Save the Nation NPC (“Free the Children”) is a non-profit company acting in the
public interest, focused, in this instance, on protecting the medical and constitutional rights of
children.