Witness Testimony

Dr. Patrick Provost, a full professor and RNA researcher at Université Laval, testified regarding his scientific background, personal experience following a Pfizer COVID-19 injection, and subsequent public opposition to pediatric vaccination. He reported experiencing five unusual side effects after his first dose and stated that his physician declined to formally report them. He described speaking publicly at a December 7, 2021 conference to question the risk-benefit balance of vaccinating children aged 5–11, which he identified as the turning point leading to complaints and disciplinary proceedings by his university.
Provost outlined two unpaid suspensions and an ongoing arbitration process related to allegations of biased interpretation, lack of rigour, and dissemination of polarizing information. He argued that these sanctions violate Quebec’s Bill 32 on academic freedom and reflect institutional censorship influenced by political and private interests. He described media coverage as defamatory and asserted that debate on COVID-19 policies has been suppressed in mainstream outlets. He also detailed the discontinuation of a university opinion column and described broader concerns about self-censorship among academics.
Scientifically, he presented three publications in the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research. He argued that mRNA vaccines function as pro-drugs with unpredictable biodistribution and spike protein expression levels, raising myocarditis concerns. He reported findings from retrospective pharmacy record analysis suggesting that adverse events occurring beyond a six-week surveillance window may be undercounted, and he asserted that overall vaccine-related adverse events may be substantially underestimated. He called for independent laboratory analysis of vaccine vial contents, public scientific debate, and strengthened protections for academic freedom.