April Fool's Day comes early with Pfizer press release hoax

(Bloomberg) — April Fool’s Day came early for the U.S. health care industry.

A fake press release detailing Pfizer Inc.’s plans to stop raising the prices of its drugs led to the retraction of a Washington Post story Thursday, after the newspaper learned the statement was a hoax.

The bogus release, sent from an email address using the name of an actual Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) spokesman, said the drugmaker would “cease routine price increases” and reduce the prices of its drugs in order to increase patients’ access to their products.

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“The story was removed because it was based on a press release that Pfizer confirmed was false and not sent by the company,” Washington Post spokeswoman Shani George said.

Whoever sent the hoax played on the fact that the industry has been under fire in recent months for skyrocketing drug prices, after examples of thousand-percent hikes hit the headlines and prompted a Congressional inquiry into the issue. A call to a phone number on the statement wasn’t returned.

“Pfizer is investigating this matter and evaluating its legal options against the parties responsible,” the drugmaker said in a verified statement.