FOIA Advisor

FOIA News: FDA asks court for 55 years to process vaccine records

FOIA News (2015-2023)Allan BlutsteinComment

Wait what? FDA wants 55 years to process FOIA request over vaccine data

By Jenna Greene, Reuters, Nov. 18, 2021

Freedom of Information Act requests are rarely speedy, but when a group of scientists asked the federal government to share the data it relied upon in licensing Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, the response went beyond typical bureaucratic foot-dragging.

As in 55 years beyond.

That’s how long the Food & Drug Administration in court papers this week proposes it should be given to review and release the trove of vaccine-related documents responsive to the request. If a federal judge in Texas agrees, plaintiffs Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency can expect to see the full record in 2076.

Read more here.