WHO: Pharma interests didn't influence flu verdict

Via AP :

" GENEVA : The head of the World Health Organization said Tuesday that her decisions about swine flu were not influenced by advisers' links to pharmaceutical companies, which were pointed out in a critical journal article this month.

The article last week in the BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal, pointed out that WHO did not disclose potential conflicts of interest among some of the experts involved in writing guidelines for pandemic flu preparations. Three scientists out of 22 who worked on the guidelines were named as having received some money from pharmaceuticals. The scientists did not work at the drug companies, but were paid for things like speaking at meetings sponsored by them.

The guidelines recommend, among other things, that countries consider buying antivirals and vaccines to combat a pandemic.

The authors of the BMJ article suggest, without providing direct evidence, that these scientists' ties to pharmaceutical companies influenced WHO's recommendation that countries buy drugs and vaccines - adding to those drug companies' profits.

"Our investigation has revealed damaging issues," wrote Deborah Cohen of BMJ and journalist Philip Carter. "These conflicts of interest have never been disclosed by WHO."