Press Release

Pfizer Formally Ends Discrimination in Fellowship Program, Resolves Lawsuit by Do No Harm

  • By Do No Harm Staff
  • January 31, 2025

RICHMOND, VA; January 31, 2024 – Today, Pfizer agreed to end its dispute with Do No Harm over Pfizer’s racially discriminatory “Breakthrough” fellowship. In response to Do No Harm’s federal civil-rights lawsuit, the pharmaceutical giant opened its fellowship to applicants of all races.

“While Pfizer would like to quietly sweep their unlawful discrimination under the rug, their settlement acknowledges what we said all along: racially discriminatory programs are unlawful and will not go unchallenged. For far too long, companies like Pfizer have allowed political ideology to hijack their core responsibilities,” said Stanley Goldfarb, MD, Chairman of Do No Harm. “We are thrilled to have come to a positive resolution to one of our earliest and most important cases and believe this marks an important victory for the future of meritocracy in medicine. Do No Harm will continue to challenge racial discrimination wherever it exists in the medical field to restore integrity and excellence in healthcare.”

Background

  • On September 15, 2022, Do No Harm first sued Pfizer on behalf of two of its members over Pfizer’s Breakthrough Fellowship Program, which excluded Asian American and white applicants.
  • According to the lawsuit, the Breakthrough Fellowship Program’s exclusion of Asian American and white applicants violates the Civil Rights Act, the Affordable Care Act, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law.
  • In December 2022, the district court dismissed Do No Harm’s case, citing lack of standing. Do No Harm appealed that decision and in October 2023, argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York. 
  • In March 2024, the Second Circuit ruled that Do No Harm must identify, by name, the members on behalf of which it is suing to have standing.
  • On January 10, following a petition by Do No Harm to rehear that ruling, the Second Circuit reversed its previous decision.

More information on the lawsuit can be found here: Do No Harm v. Pfizer.

The joint stipulation of dismissal can be found here.

Do No Harm, established in April 2022, has rapidly gained recognition and made significant strides in its mission to safeguard healthcare from ideological threats. With 15,000 members, including doctors, nurses, physicians, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and 14 countries, DNH has achieved over 10,000 media hits in top-tier publications and garnered widespread attention through numerous broadcast news appearances.