WHO Review Of Pandemic Flu Response Underway

World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan today opened an expert review process on the way WHO handled the outbreak of a pandemic influenza virus last year.

In her opening speech, Chan called it the “most closely watched and carefully scrutinized pandemic in history.”

She added that “in planning and organizing this review, WHO aimed to facilitate a process that is independent, credible, and transparent,” and would not be defining or restricting which issues may come up. The WHO was “especially vigilant in seeking out possible conflicts of interest among committee members,” she said.

The planned review is being organised under the rubric of a general WHO review of its International Health Regulations, set up to guide the public health world in case of a global emergency (IPW, Public Health, 30 March 2010).

The WHO has received some criticism that it might have exaggerated the extent and risk of the flu (IPW, WHO, 26 January 2010). Meanwhile, a framework for responses specifically in the case of flu pandemics is still unfinished, though governments hope to complete outstanding issues on intellectual property and material transfer agreements in May (IPW, WHO, 20 January 2010).