INDIANA (LifeSiteNews) – Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company pushing COVID jabs for young kids and on the general public, also partnered with Indiana to promote other childhood vaccines. The partnerships might also include insurance companies and other states.
My family received a phone call and a postcard from the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) reminding me of potential vaccines for my son, who is approaching one year of age. Both the phone call and the postcard noted that the outreach is funded by Pfizer.
Pfizer did not respond to multiple requests for comment last week on the arrangement. LifeSiteNews asked for details on the financial arrangement, data sharing, and any concerns about a conflict of interest since Pfizer stands to profit from childhood vaccines, including the COVID shots.
IDOH said “the program has recently concluded” and reiterated there is no data shared.
Spokeswoman Jeni O’Malley wrote in an email to LifeSiteNews:
Indiana is one of several states that has historically participated in a program in which a third-party vendor conducts outreach to families whose children are behind in routine childhood immunizations. The goal of this program is to make families aware that a child may have missed a recommended dose and encourage them to contact their healthcare provider to discuss the next steps that are appropriate for that family.
“IDOH does not pay for this program, and we do not receive any payment as a result of this outreach,” O’Malley stated.
That statement is at odds with what the IDOH says on the phone call and in writing.
The phone call comes “on behalf of Indiana Department of Health,” that references a potential 12-month check-up, which might include vaccines. The call again references it coming from IDOH, but ends by stating that “financial support” for the call came from Pfizer. 
A postcard includes the same information. The arrangement dates back to at least 2019, since the bottom of the postcard says it was printed that year.
@pfizer funded communications about vaccines. pic.twitter.com/N2DH2suJOn
— Matt Lamb (@MattLamb22) November 17, 2022
The arrangement is likely through Pfizer’s “Vaccine Adherence in Kids” program, or VAKS. A 2020 note from the Association of Immunization Managers calls the program free. The webinar promised participants they would hear from Louisiana immunization managers about their experience with it.
“The VAKs program offers outreach options for enrolled customers and can be used as a standalone reminder recall program or in conjunction with an existing customer program,” an explanation sheet posted by the nonprofit Virginia Center for Health Innovation explains.
“As an enrolled VAKs program customer, you have access to multiple resources such as vaccine reminder postcards, phone calls, emails, and texts,” the information sheet states. “These resources allow you to contact parents/guardians who need to schedule appointments for pediatric vaccinations recommended by the [CDC] and [American Academic of Pediatrics] using [missed dose and 12-month check up alerts].”
A LifeSiteNews search identified other VAKS participants including health insurance companies Centene and CareSource.