• Investing
  • Stock
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Economy
The Significant Deals
Stock

Pfizer must face lawsuit over diversity fellowship program, US court rules

by January 10, 2025
written by January 10, 2025

By Nate Raymond (NS:RYMD)

(Reuters) -A U.S. appeals court on Friday revived a lawsuit by a conservative group opposed to diversity initiatives in medicine that challenged a Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) fellowship program designed to boost the pipeline of Black, Latino and Native American people in leadership positions at the drugmaker.

At the urging of the group Do No Harm, a 2-1 panel of the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revisted a decision it issued last year holding the organization lacked legal standing to challenge the drugmaker’s program in court.

That earlier decision had raised the bar for groups like Do No Harm to pursue similar cases on behalf of their membership by finding that they needed to identify members who were affected by the alleged discrimination they were suing over by name.

Do No Harm and other conservative advocacy groups had urged the 2nd Circuit to reconsider that holding, which they said would chill civil rights litigation by exposing individuals to harassment and retaliation if their identities were revealed.

The 2nd Circuit panel that issued that decision agreed to reconsider it, and on Friday concluded a trial court judge applied too strict of a standard in assessing whether Do No Harm had standing and should reconsider the issue.

Stanley Goldfarb, Do No Harm’s chair, in a statement said it was pleased the court “reversed course and correctly recognized our right to protect our members in the district court.”

Pfizer in a statement said Do No Harm’s claims were without merit and that it was “proud of its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Virginia-based Do No Harm, which is a non-profit that counts doctors, medical students and others as members and aims “to protect healthcare from radical, divisive and discriminatory ideologies,” had no immediate comment.

Do No Harm sued Pfizer in 2022 over the company’s Breakthrough Fellowship Program, which aimed to increase the pipeline of Black, Latino and Native American leaders in the company, arguing it discriminated against white and Asian-American applicants.

The lawsuit was filed a month before the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in cases in which its conservative majority would later declare unlawful race-conscious college admissions policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

That June 2023 decision, while focused on college admissions, has prompted several lawsuits challenging diversity programs at companies, some of which have since altered their policies.

Walmart (NYSE:WMT) and McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) are among the companies that have recently backed away from diversity practices following pressure from conservative activists.

Do No Harm challenged Pfizer’s program on behalf of two anonymous white or Asian-American members the group claimed were not able to apply to the fellowship, alleging it violated federal anti-discrimination laws.

The program’s criteria has since been changed to allow anyone to allow apply.

This post appeared first on investing.com
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
US sues to block corporate travel company merger
next post
Castle Biosciences stock falls following Medicare coverage denial

You may also like

BASF results down on impairments, restructuring

January 27, 2025

European chipmakers slump as traders gauge DeepSeek AI...

January 27, 2025

Nasdaq futures tumble as China’s AI push rattles...

January 27, 2025

China Vanke’s CEO, chairman resign amid growing liquidity...

January 27, 2025

Fuji Media, rocked by sexual misconduct allegations, says...

January 27, 2025

Italy’s MPS shares fall ahead of Mediobanca board...

January 27, 2025

British Land stock drops following stake sale

January 27, 2025

UMG shares rally after new multi-year pact with...

January 27, 2025

BASF shares indicated 3% lower as impairments drag...

January 27, 2025

Ryanair cuts 2026 traffic forecast amid ongoing Boeing...

January 27, 2025
Fill Out & Get More Relevant News








    Stay ahead of the market and unlock exclusive trading insights & timely news. We value your privacy - your information is secure, and you can unsubscribe anytime. Gain an edge with hand-picked trading opportunities, stay informed with market-moving updates, and learn from expert tips & strategies.

    Recent Posts

    • Procter & Gamble to cut 7,000 jobs as part of broader restructuring

      June 6, 2025
    • Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge as loophole for cheap goods closes

      June 6, 2025
    • Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge as loophole for cheap goods closes

      June 5, 2025
    • This California startup is cleaning water and removing CO₂ from the atmosphere — all at a reduced cost

      June 5, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (245)
    • Editor's Pick (3,646)
    • Investing (504)
    • Stock (6,426)

    Latest News

    • Procter & Gamble to cut 7,000 jobs as part of broader restructuring
    • Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge as loophole for cheap goods closes

    Popular News

    • Nippon Steel extends closing date for U.S. Steel acquisition
    • Crime costs Latam and Caribbean almost what region spends in education, IDB says

    About The Significant deals

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Copyright © 2025 thesignificantdeals.com | All Rights Reserved

    The Significant Deals
    • Investing
    • Stock
    • Editor’s Pick
    • Economy