The WHO denies allegations of swine flu embellishment

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has profusely denied claims that it intentionally created mass hysteria surrounding the swine flu pandemic of June last year. Experts are claiming that the leading health body had struck a deal with a number of pharmaceutical giants, that would designed to to encourage a large number of countries to make large purchases of the vaccine, the moment a world wide pandemic was announced.

Reports of the pandemic did without a doubt, encourage mass buying but the jury is out as to whether the WHO had colluded with private sector drugs firms. The senior flu consultant refutes the allegations, claiming there had not been any ‘undue influence’.

Speaking in front of a governing committee, he also highlighted the fact that the pandemic policies that had been in place, along with advice given to them but a number of experts, including those from the private pharmaceutical sector. However, he was quick to point that systems had been in place, to prevent any conflicts of interest.

To date, doctors are beginning to report a decline in the number of patients treated with suspected swine flu. This decline has happened on a national level.

In the UK, the number of swine flu cases fell dramatically over the Christmas period to levels as low as the early stages of outbreak. Despite this, certain areas saw a steady number of cases as well as patients, admitted to critical units.

However, the swine flu vaccination programme slowed over the holiday period although demographics who had already been selected for the vaccine (elderly, those with underlying illnesses and the young) continued to receive the vaccine.

What do the stats say?

In England, the rate of GP consultants for flu like illnesses was 12.1 per 100,000 population for the week ending January 17 2010. In addition to this, there are still a remaining 211 patients in hospital with swine flu in the UK, 62 of who are in a critical condition.