Pfizer Clinical Trials

On September 1st, 2021, Pfizer announced that they had given their first dose of an oral SARS-CoV-2-3CL protease inhibitor to a participant in a new trial designed to combat the spread of COVID-19. The oral drug, PF-07321332, binds to the active site of the protease enzyme in the coronavirus, preventing the enzyme from functioning. By blocking the activity of this enzyme, the virus is no longer able to replicate. Phase 2 out of 3 of this study, which evaluates the safety and efficacy of the medication, will include 1,140 COVID-infected participants who are not at high risk of developing severe symptoms. The patients will receive the pill alongside small doses of Ritonavir to slow the body’s metabolism of PF-07321332, helping the drug remain in the patients’ systems for longer. If the PF-07321332/Ritonavir trials are a success, the drug will be a profound medical breakthrough for the entire world, notably for Latin American regions that are currently battling a particularly dire COVID-19 crisis. The medication, if approved, can be prescribed at the onset of symptoms, which will reduce death rates and the demand for hospitalization, thus providing massive relief to healthcare workers and COVID-19 patients in Brazil. 

The Bolsonaro Administration and the Pandemic

The devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic have taken a tremendous toll on Brazilian citizens. Only 36% of Brazilian citizens are fully vaccinated, which does not bode well for Brazil’s high COVID-19 death rate of over 580,000. Brazil’s public healthcare system has been very effective in past medical emergencies, despite a notable lack of funding, so the question of why Brazil is handling this crisis so poorly can be narrowed down to its current government. Researchers believe that President Jair Bolsonaro’s inaction regarding the COVID-19 pandemic largely contributes to the country’s current catastrophic state. The government removed the federal mask mandate in July of 2020, despite the country battling the world’s second highest numbers in COVID-19 cases and deaths at the time. Bolsonaro also refused to close non-essential businesses in order to avoid prolonging Brazil’s economic crisis. After downplaying the severity of the virus, President Bolsonaro contracted COVID-19 himself that same month, yet continued to interact with others without wearing a mask.

As cases and deaths began to decrease in August of 2020, tourist attractions once again drew large crowds. However, as the second wave of the virus emerged, the mask mandate never returned, and high death rates made an unpleasant return. COVID-19 cases in Brazil reached a record high of over 318,000 cases on February 9th, 2021. The government’s handling of the crisis is so notoriously negligent that the Association of COVID-19 Victims and Relatives of Victims (AVICO) is accusing Bolsonaro of prevarication, meaning Bolsonaro has been intentionally misleading to his citizens, violation of preventative health measures, irregular use of public funds, danger to life and health, and destruction of rescue material. The president’s failure to enforce proper COVID-19 restrictions and his promotion of hydroxychloroquine, an unapproved and potentially dangerous treatment for COVID-19, along with the country’s failure to import essential equipment, is ultimately responsible for the coronavirus catastrophe in Brazil. Even if Pfizer’s drug is approved, the question of whether the Bolsonaro Administration will effectively administer it, still remains. 

The Bolsonaro Administration’s Recent Rulings

On September 2nd, 2021, Bolsonaro signed a law allowing for medical patents to be broken during times of crisis. Although this law may sound promising for Brazil’s future, it still contains critical flaws. Bolsonaro vetoed the provisions that patent holders needed to distribute materials for the mass production of their medications, allegedly to encourage research on new medications and technology. Additionally, Bolsonaro himself is the only person in Brazil with the power to break a medical patent. Essentially, Bolsonaro has complete control over COVID-19 medications and patents, meaning the impact of Pfizer’s new drug on Brazil is entirely in the President’s hands. Not only does the government physically complicate the vaccination process for its citizens by keeping them from accessing proper care, but it also has a good deal of mental influence over them through its anti-scientific stance. Hesitancy to receive treatment for COVID-19 or to follow restrictive guidelines is generally caused by fear, distrust, and above all, a lack of scientific education. Even if Pfizer’s medication was to become readily available to the Brazilian public, it may not fulfill its intended purpose when their government is feeding them ignorant fabrications. Even though not all Brazilians are blind to this mistreatment, especially relatives of COVID-19 victims, this misinformation is still damaging to the public and cannot be ignored. To overcome this coronavirus catastrophe, a mental war must be fought as well as a physical one to assuage fears associated with the vaccine and other drugs by clarifying their medical mechanisms to strengthen public scientific understanding.

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