WHO Accused of Overstating Swine Flu Threat

Two reports released Friday are critical of the World Health Organization’s handling of the H1N1 flu pandemic—which was dubbed “exaggeration on stilts”—as well as the fact that some WHO scientists had previously been on the payroll of big drug companies.

Critics say the WHO’s response sent the world into an unnecessary tizzy, wasting huge sums of money and provoking “unjustified fears” within the populace. —JCL

Al Jazeera English:

A joint report into the handling of the H1N1 outbreak has found that some scientists who advised governments to stockpile drugs, had previously been on the payroll of big drug companies.

The report, published in the British Medical Journal, found World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on the use of medicine to treat the virus were prepared by experts who had received consulting fees from the top two manufacturers of the drugs—Roche and GlaxoSmithKline.

The WHO’s decision to name the flu a “pandemic” is also coming under scrutiny from European investigators, and stands accused of exaggerating the dangers of the H1N1 outbreak, which emerged in April last year.

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Flickr / Wootang01

WHO’s warnings on the swine flu “pandemic” and the subsequent media hysteria in early 2009 set off a wave of panic around the world.