Witness Testimony

Mélissa Sansfaçon, an information management consultant employed by Hydro-Québec, testified that she received two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in May and July 2021 primarily to ensure she could accompany her young son to hospital if needed, as vaccination was required for hospital access. She reported initial arm heaviness after the first dose, followed by immediate numbness during the 15-minute observation period after her second dose. Over subsequent weeks, she developed progressive neurological symptoms including persistent numbness, burning sensations, needle-like pain, and widespread hypersensitivity, predominantly affecting the right side of her body.
She described extensive medical evaluations including emergency room visits, MRIs, EMG testing, and repeated skin biopsies. While no definitive diagnosis has been confirmed, she reported probable diagnoses of small fibre neuropathy and reflex sympathetic dystrophy, along with allodynia. She stated that biopsy procedures worsened her symptoms and that she continues to experience extreme sensitivity to heat, cold, fabrics, and touch, requiring adaptations such as forearm bandaging and use of ice packs to manage daily pain.
Sansfaçon testified that her condition has significantly impaired her quality of life, affecting her ability to work, sleep, tolerate clothing, or engage in routine family activities. She has been on extended medical leave for over a year and a half and has trialed multiple medications without relief. While her adverse event was reported to Quebec public health authorities and her file remains open, she expressed frustration with delays, uncertainty in diagnosis, and reluctance among some medical professionals to definitively attribute her symptoms to vaccination.