A威斯康星州药剂师周二承认了两项联邦指控，并承认他篡改了超过500剂司法部宣布了一种冠状病毒疫苗。
司法部在一份声明中说，威斯康星州格拉夫顿市46岁的史蒂文·布兰登伯格(Steven Brandenburg)因两项企图篡改消费品的罪名面临长达20年的监禁，这两项罪名无视他人面临死亡或人身伤害的风险。
根据联邦检察官的说法，勃兰登堡承认在12月24日和25日从倡导者极光健康医院的冷库中取出了57瓶现代疫苗，让它们在外面过夜变质。嫌疑人说他怀疑疫苗根据认罪协议，一般来说，特别是现代疫苗。
“在全球范围内篡改疫苗剂量健康美国司法部民事司代理助理司法部长布赖恩·博因顿在一份声明中说:“这场危机需要强有力的回应，这反映在美国今天提出的严重指控上。”。
勃兰登堡的律师拒绝就这笔交易置评。
格拉夫顿警察局
药剂师斯蒂芬·勃兰登堡在一张警方预订的照片中。
美国食品和药物管理局负责刑事调查的助理专员凯瑟琳·埃尔姆森在一份声明中说:“美国食品和药物管理局已经确保现代新冠肺炎疫苗符合该机构在质量、安全性和有效性方面的严格标准。”。
根据联邦检察官的说法，大约57剂被篡改的药瓶被分发给病人。
勃兰登堡在除夕夜被捕。他是有条件释放到他家四天后，威斯康辛州检察官表示，他们需要更多的时间来获得莫德纳的检测结果，以确定药剂师篡改57个药瓶时造成的确切损害，每个药瓶包含约100剂药物。
上周，奥祖基县地方检察官亚当·格尔称测试仍在进行中但是“目前最好的证据是疫苗仍然有效。”
勃兰登堡的判决听证会尚未安排。
Pharmacist pleads guilty to federal charges for intentionally sabotaging COVID vaccines
AWisconsinpharmacist pleaded guilty to two federal charges Tuesday and admitted that hetampered with over 500 dosesof a coronavirus vaccine, the Department of Justice announced.
Steven Brandenburg, 46, of Grafton, Wisconsin, faces up to 20 years in person on two counts of attempting to tamper with consumer products with reckless disregard for the risk that another person will be placed in danger of death or bodily injury, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Brandenburg admitted to removing 57 vials of the Moderna vaccine from cold storage at Advocate Aurora Health Hospital on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, leaving them out to spoil overnight, according to federal prosecutors. The suspect said he was skeptical ofvaccinesin general and the Moderna vaccine specifically, according to the plea agreement.
"Tampering with vaccine doses in the midst of a globalhealthcrisis calls for a strong response, as reflected by the serious charges the United States has brought today," acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton of the Department of Justice's Civil Division said in a statement.
Brandenburg's attorney declined to comment about the deal.
"The FDA has ensured that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine meets the agency's rigorous standards for quality, safety, and efficacy," FDA Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A. Hermsen said in a statement.
About 57 doses from the tampered vials were distributed to patients, according to federal prosecutors.
Brandenburg was arrested on New Year's Eve. He wasreleased conditionally to his homefour days later after Wisconsin prosecutors said they needed more time for test results from Moderna to determine the exact damage the pharmacist caused when he tampered with the 57 vials, each of which contained about 100 doses.
Last week, Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerolsaid tests were still ongoing, but "the best evidence at this point is that the vaccine remains viable."
Brandenburg's sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
