In 2021, Ursula von der Leyen signed a contract with Pfizer for the purchase of 4.6 billion vaccine doses for EUR 71 billion.

Error detected

The claim incorrectly attributes the aggregate figures (4.6 billion doses and €71 billion) exclusively to Pfizer, when these figures actually represent the total across all vaccine manufacturers with whom the EU contracted.

Omissions

• The €71 billion and 4.6 billion doses figures refer to the TOTAL across ALL vaccine contracts signed by the EU by end of 2021, including contracts with AstraZeneca, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, CureVac, and others, not just Pfizer.
• The Pfizer-specific contracts were for significantly fewer doses than the total 4.6 billion claimed.
• The European Court of Auditors report (published in 2022) covers data up to end of 2021, which is consistent with the temporal context of the claim.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Court of Auditors - Special Report on EU COVID-19 vaccine procurementBy the end of 2021, it had signed €71 billion worth of contracts securing up to 4.6 billion doses.
• SecondaryEUROSAI Database - EU COVID-19 vaccine procurement Special Report 19/2022The EU launched its vaccine procurement strategy in June 2020. By the end of 2021, it had signed €71 billion worth of contracts securing up to 4.6 billion doses.
• SecondaryEU Watch - Two years on: Was the EU's vaccine strategy effective?Contracts for 4.6 billion doses worth a total of €71 billion were signed by the Commission.