WHO: flu estimates not swayed by firms
Source: Agencies |
January 27, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE World Health Organization denied yesterday that it was unduly influenced by drug companies to exaggerate the dangers of the H1N1 flu virus.
Pharmaceutical firms picked up multi-million dollar vaccination contracts when the United Nations health agency declared the flu a pandemic last June.
Although many millions around the world have been infected with H1N1, and many thousands have died, the pandemic has proved milder than health experts had originally feared.
Accusations from some politicians and media that the WHO relied too much on advice from experts in the pay of the pharmaceutical industry - who could have a vested interest in dramatizing the crisis - have triggered an internal review by the WHO and an inquiry by the Council of Europe, a European Union human rights watchdog.
The WHO's top flu expert, Keiji Fukuda, told a hearing at the Council of Europe that although the organization's response to the virus was not perfect, it had not been bounced into the wrong decisions by the drug giants.
"Let me state clearly for the record. The influenza pandemic policies and responses recommended and taken by WHO were not improperly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry," Fukuda said.
The council, which groups together most European countries, called on the WHO to address concerns over the handling of the pandemic.
Many countries ordered tens of millions of doses of vaccines against H1N1 in a bid to protect their populations and are now trying to cut the orders or sell off surpluses of unused stock.
Pharmaceutical firms picked up multi-million dollar vaccination contracts when the United Nations health agency declared the flu a pandemic last June.
Although many millions around the world have been infected with H1N1, and many thousands have died, the pandemic has proved milder than health experts had originally feared.
Accusations from some politicians and media that the WHO relied too much on advice from experts in the pay of the pharmaceutical industry - who could have a vested interest in dramatizing the crisis - have triggered an internal review by the WHO and an inquiry by the Council of Europe, a European Union human rights watchdog.
The WHO's top flu expert, Keiji Fukuda, told a hearing at the Council of Europe that although the organization's response to the virus was not perfect, it had not been bounced into the wrong decisions by the drug giants.
"Let me state clearly for the record. The influenza pandemic policies and responses recommended and taken by WHO were not improperly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry," Fukuda said.
The council, which groups together most European countries, called on the WHO to address concerns over the handling of the pandemic.
Many countries ordered tens of millions of doses of vaccines against H1N1 in a bid to protect their populations and are now trying to cut the orders or sell off surpluses of unused stock.
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