WHO Investigates Leaked Report Amid Outcry
3 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // January 21st, 2010 // 6:43 am
The World Health Organization’s Director General, Margaret Chan, says she has begun an investigation to learn who leaked draft reports compiled by its Expert Working Group to a pharmaceutical industry trade group last month, according to Intellectual Property Watch. You may recall the EWG is examining financing and coordination of R&D between public and private sectors for meds needed to combat various diseases in developing nations. The EWG is studying patent pools, innovation prizes and an R&D treaty, and will deliver its report in May to the WHO Health Assembly.
But the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations recently distributed non-public documents to its members, riling advocacy groups. There was also an email, indicating “overall results are in line with industry positions.” Why the flap? The EWG process is supposed to be free from outside influence and the disclosure suggests pharma may be swaying deliberations (background here).
Chan says she is “extremely, extremely troubled by the leakage of documents,” and vows to “find out exactly where the breach is” and, if leaked by WHO staff, to take action, possibly waiving diplomatic immunity of all staff “to facilitate proper investigation.” But she challenged anyone to present evidence indicating there was undue industry influence and says she attaches “great importance to avoidance of conflict of interest.”
patrons99
This is damage control pure and simple. The “inquisition” has begun. The WHO has been and is completely conflicted.
patrons99
Dr Chan is “extremely, extremely troubled by the leakage of documents”. She is more concerned with who leaked the documents, than she is that the documents exist. This is a shot over the bow warning to any more would-be WHO whistleblowers. It’s not the documents that trouble her. It is the breach and leakage of documents which provide impetus to “facilitate proper investigation”. It is impossible for her to deny the existence of these documents. The very last thing she would want is a proper investigation. Her “challenge” to anyone to present evidence indicating there was undue industry influence, can be interpreted as a threat. Her attachment of “great importance to avoidance of conflict of interest” is hypocritical. I suspect that a lot of document shredding is taking place and many computer hard drives will mysteriously “crash” or simply vanish, needing to be replaced.
patrons99
Let’s be sure not to confuse the two investigations. There’s Dr Chan’s “inquisition” which is purely defensive for PR purposes. And then there’s the real investigation of the WHO by Dr Wolfgang Wodarg and PACE whose inquiry will focus on the drug industry’s influence on the WHO.