World Health Org. blew bird flu out of proportion.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - World Health Org. blew bird flu out of proportion.

Posted: 6/4/2010 12:21:20 PM EDT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/04/AR2010060403034.html

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, June 4, 2010; 3:52 PM

European criticism of the World Health Organization's handling of the H1N1 pandemic intensified Friday with the release of two reports that accused the agency of exaggerating the threat posed by the virus and failing to disclose possible influence by the pharmaceutical industry on its recommendations for how countries should respond.

The WHO's response caused widespread, unnecessary fear and prompted countries around the world to waste millions of dollars, according to one report. At the same time, the Geneva-based arm of the United Nations relied on advice from experts with ties to drug makers in developing the guidelines it used to encourage countries to stockpile millions of doses of antiviral medications, according to the second report.

The reports outlined the drumbeat of criticism that has arisen, primarily in Europe, of how the world's leading health organization responded to the first influenza pandemic in more than four decades.

"For WHO, its credibility has been badly damaged," wrote Fiona Godlee, the editor of the BMJ, a prominent British medical journal, that published one of the reports. "WHO must act now to restore its credibility."

A spokesman for the WHO, along with several independent experts, however, strongly disputed the reports, saying they misrepresented the seriousness of the pandemic and the WHO's response, which was carefully formulated and necessary given the potential threat.

Posted: 6/4/2010 12:37:31 PM EDT

[#1]

And in other news...

The USGS has apologized for evacuating people from the area around Mt. Itsgonnablow. They were wrong about it being a danger.

Posted: 6/4/2010 12:40:09 PM EDT

[#2]

Told ya so.

Posted: 6/4/2010 12:42:40 PM EDT

[#3]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=1049100

Posted: 6/4/2010 12:55:23 PM EDT

[#4]

In other news, fire is hot, Uma Thurman is sexy, and smashing your balls with a hammer feels unpleasant.

Posted: 6/4/2010 12:55:43 PM EDT

[#5]

A bit of over-reacting, so what else is new?

I was joking with one of the nurses where I donate blood, and I told her that I was waiting to be hit by the "swine flu" or the West Nile virus, she goes oh "that is not what going around, it the avian bird flu."

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - World Health Org. blew bird flu out of proportion.

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