A Wisconsin pharmacist accused of intentionally sabotaging hundreds of doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will plead guilty to charges made in federal court, the Justice Department said on Tuesday.
Steven R. Brandenburg, a 46-year-old hospital pharmacist from Grafton, Wisconsin, tried to spoil doses of the Modern vaccine – which must be stored at low temperatures to remain effective – by removing them from the hospital’s refrigeration unit, the Justice Department said .
Mr. Brandenburg will plead guilty to two counts of “attempting to tamper with consumer products without taking into account the risk of someone else risking death and personal injury”. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
During two night shifts – on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – Mr. Brandenburg left the doses out for several hours before returning them to the refrigerator for use the next day, according to a court agreement.
For at least two years, Brandenburg told his co-workers about his beliefs in “conspiracy theories” and “alternative history” and indicated that he was skeptical of vaccines, specifically the Modern vaccine, according to the plea agreement. The police previously called him an “admitted conspiracy theorist”.
The doses that Brandenburg withdrew from the refrigeration reached the arms of 57 people before his conduct was discovered. Whether the doses were really ineffective was still under investigation.
“The FDA has ensured that the Modern Covid-19 vaccine meets the agency’s strict standards for quality, safety and effectiveness,” said Catherine A. Hermsen, assistant commissioner for criminal investigations at the Food and Drug Administration, in a statement. “Those who intentionally tampered with this vaccine put the health of American patients at risk. Today’s announcement should serve as a reminder that this type of illegal tampering will not be tolerated. “