Successive responses to claims that 'BioNTech did not arrive'

The claims that emerged on the agenda that "the BioNTech vaccine did not arrive in Turkey" caused a wide stir on social media. As the discussions grew, statements were made on the subject by both health circles and political figures.

BIONTECH PROCURED IT DIRECTLY IN TURKEY

Turkish Medical Association (TTB) President Alpay Azap clarified the process of BioNTech vaccines arriving in Turkey in a post on the social media platform X. Stating that BioNTech followed a different method for Germany and Turkey, Azap used the following expressions:

"It is true, BioNTech did not transfer the sales rights to Pfizer in Germany and Turkey, but procured that vaccine (BNT162b2) itself. Uğur Şahin wanted to provide convenience by not using an intermediary firm in Germany and Turkey, which he calls his 'two homelands.' Please let us not confuse people about vaccines."

PROF. DR. CEYHAN: THE VACCINE ARRIVED IN TURKEY AND WAS ADMINISTERED

Infectious Diseases Association President Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ceyhan also emphasized that BioNTech vaccines arrived in Turkey and were administered. Stating that the procurement process was different from other countries, Ceyhan shared the following information:

"The BioNTech vaccine arrived in Turkey and was administered. Unlike other countries, Turkey and Germany received the vaccine not from the manufacturer Pfizer, but from the developer company BioNTech. In December 2020, Turkey made an agreement for 60 million doses of the vaccine."

İYİ PARTY'S ÇÖMEZ: '630 MILLION DOLLAR' CLAIM

İYİ Party Balıkesir Deputy Turan Çömez, who added a political dimension to the debate, brought up striking claims regarding vaccine import processes. Pointing specifically to imports made through intermediary firms, Çömez asked the following questions:

"The Ministry of Health did not import 70 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine itself, but through a crony firm, and poured at least 630 million dollars into someone's pocket. Newly emerged documents revealed that the import of the BioNTech vaccine to Turkey was not carried out by Pfizer. So, how many doses of the BioNTech vaccine were imported and by whom? Is it another major robbery, another crony intermediary? How many hundreds of millions of dollars this time?"

STATEMENT FROM THE CENTER FOR COMBATING DISINFORMATION

The Presidential Directorate of Communications' Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) also published a statement on the subject. The statement indicated that the claims that the BioNTech vaccine did not arrive in Turkey during the Covid-19 pandemic process do not reflect the truth.

In the DMM's statement, it was emphasized that Turkey procured BioNTech vaccines and that these vaccines were used during the vaccination process.

News Source: 12punto