Twitter Files: Former FDA commish & Current Pfizer Board Member: Scott Gottlieb asks for a tweet to be censored

It is a problem

Scott Gottlieb former FDA commissioner under Trump and current Pfizer board member pressured Twitter to label this tweet as misleading. This was first reported by Alex Berenson in his substack. I have a few thoughts.

Alex provides that specific email where the request was made.

I know many people want to live in denial, but this is an issue. Scott Gottlieb was former FDA commissioner and a BOARD MEMBER of PFIZER, the maker of the vaccine. As board member, he has a sworn duty to Pfizer’s bottom line.

Here he leans on connections to remove a tweet that questions the value of a Pfizer product in people with prior infection who have recovered.

The fact of the matter is: we do not have RCTs proving a reduction in severe disease among those with prior infection. We have lots of indirect evidence that there might be a benefit, particularly in older folks— but these are not gold standard data.

As such, it is fair to debate the topic— even if you disagree with the tweet in question. Any American should have the right to voice that disagreement.

Here instead twitter 1.0 caved to a former government official and company board member, without acknowledging the glaring conflict.

Imagine if we lived in a world where former government officials who are currently working for companies could censor tweets that disparage a company’s products, even when the disparagement is uncertain. That’s troubling.

I do not think this tweet is strictly first amendment issue—as Gottlieb was not in office— but it is a conflict of interest issue, and a huge problem that social media is taking orders from company board members.