title: The sponsored pandemic of the Mexican flu?
abstract: The first reports of the New Influenza A (H1N1) spoke of a markedly increased morbidity and mortality. Later it turned out that this flu was a very mild flu. Gradually the role of the WHO was questioned. The definition of a pandemic flu had been changed and there rose doubts about the independency of the experts advising the WHO. It showed that some of these experts had a conflict of interest with the pharmaceutical industry, especially with those producing vaccines and neuraminidase inhibitors. As of june 2010 the WHO declared the outbreak to be a pandemic. This provided the momentum to produce vaccines. At the outbreak of the pandemic in the northern hemisphere, there was sufficient evidence that the pandemic would not be so serious, that a single vaccination was sufficient, that there were strong doubts about the efficacy of oseltamivir and that the drug, although rarely, could have serious side effects. With the stockpiling of neuraminidase inhibitors and with the recommendation of the vaccination political decisions were involved. These decisions should be driven and supported by independent scientific advisory bodies with no room for even the semblance of conflicts of interest. Stronger measures to limit the impact of experts with conflicts of interest on the development of, among others, guidelines are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Domus Medica, Utrecht, The Netherlands. dick.bijl@hetnet.nl
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bijl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schellekens
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000191:economics*; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D058873:Pandemics / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011057:Politics
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D053139:Oseltamivir; D009439:Neuraminidase