James O’Keefe’s media organization, O’Keefe Media Group (OMG), released undercover footage this week featuring a Johnson & Johnson scientist claiming that the company’s COVID-19 vaccine was not adequately tested prior to public rollout.
The video, recorded by an OMG reporter posing as a date, captures statements from Joshua Rys, identified as a “Lead Scientist in Regulatory Affairs” at Johnson & Johnson.
Rys is heard stating that standard testing protocols were not followed in the development of the vaccine.
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“We didn’t do the typical tests,” he said.
According to the footage, Rys claimed the company bypassed the traditional clinical process under pressure from both the federal government and public demand during the early stages of the pandemic.
He added, “This was just, ‘let’s test it on some lab models… and just throw it to the wind and see what happens.’”
Rys went on to suggest that the public was not made aware of these shortcuts.
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“Do you have any idea the lack of research that was done on those products?” he asked.
“People wanted it, we gave it to them.”
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was one of three widely distributed COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use in the United States beginning in late 2020 and early 2021.
It was promoted by health officials as a single-dose alternative to the two-shot mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
In the video, Rys questioned the core claims made about the vaccines. “There’s no proof. None of that stuff was safe and effective,” he said.
He also referenced the pharmaceutical industry’s reliance on a benefit-risk tradeoff when evaluating product releases.
The statements surfaced amid continued public scrutiny over the development, rollout, and mandates associated with COVID-19 vaccines.
Rys suggested that internal pressures and urgent government requests played a significant role in pushing the product to market.
“The government is like, ‘We need help… You’re solving this problem,’” he said.
“People panic, so they try to solve it in whatever way they think is good.”
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine faced regulatory challenges shortly after its release.
In April 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended a temporary pause in its use due to concerns about rare blood clotting incidents.
Distribution resumed after a brief review, but the vaccine later saw diminished use as public health agencies focused their efforts on the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
After the video was released, O’Keefe confronted Rys on camera. Rys declined to comment further and walked away.
O’Keefe has become known for his use of hidden cameras to capture candid statements from government and corporate insiders.
The release of this latest footage is part of an ongoing investigation, according to O’Keefe Media Group, which ended its initial report with the statement: “Stay tuned for part two.”
Johnson & Johnson has not yet issued an official response to the claims made in the video.
The company remains one of the leading pharmaceutical manufacturers globally and played a prominent role in the public health response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The full context of Rys’s remarks, and whether they reflect official company policy or personal opinion, remains unclear.
O’Keefe Media Group indicated that additional footage and further updates will be released as the investigation continues.
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