Senator Ron Johnson has expressed significant concerns regarding the transparency of federal health agencies about COVID-19 vaccine data. In a recent letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, the Food and Drug Administration FDA, and the Department of Health and Human Services HHS, he demanded the preservation and unredacted release of all records related to the development, safety, and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines by December 3, 2024.
He warned that failure to comply could lead to subpoenas once he assumes the chairmanship of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Senator Johnson’s letter highlights his frustration with what he perceives as a lack of cooperation from these agencies, stating that their refusal to provide complete and unredacted documents has hindered congressional oversight and jeopardized public health. He specifically referenced heavily redacted documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from May 2021, which, according to him, obscured critical scientific data.
One particular concern is a 14-page document indicating that former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky received data from Pfizer regarding myocarditis cases associated with the vaccine; however, the document was entirely redacted except for the cover page.
Additionally, Senator Johnson pointed to internal CDC emails that discussed issuing a Health Alert Network message about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis linked to the Pfizer vaccine—a message that was ultimately not released. He has requested all communications and briefings related to this decision.
Furthermore, he demanded the release of 17 pages of fully redacted talking points that the Biden White House reportedly sent to top public health officials concerning COVID-19. Senator Johnson argues that these redactions represent a concerted effort to obscure the agencies’ detection of and response to vaccine adverse events, such as myocarditis and pericarditis.
He contends that, despite awareness of these risks, public health officials uniformly and deceptively promoted the vaccines as safe and effective.
This development coincides with a report from the GOP-led House Energy and Commerce Committee, which claims that the Biden administration spent $900 million promoting what it describes as misleading health messaging about COVID-19 and its vaccines.
Senator Johnson has been a vocal critic of the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly concerning vaccine safety and transparency. He has sent over 60 public letters to federal agencies addressing various aspects of the virus’s origins and treatment.
As the December 3 deadline approaches, it remains to be seen how the CDC, FDA, and HHS will respond to Senator Johnson’s demands and whether this issue will escalate to the issuance of subpoenas.