So how much credibility does the WHO have now?

[googled]

BBC News - WHO swine flu experts 'linked' with drug companies

Apologies if this is in the wrong section/already been posted.

 

[Tom09]

From the linked BBC article:

“The BMJ, in a joint investigation with The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, found that three scientists involved in putting together the 2004 guidance had previously been paid by Roche or GSK [GlaxoSmithKline] for lecturing and consultancy work as well as being involved in research for the companies.”

Well, personally I’m glad that the pandemic flu did not realize and I can’t really criticize the drum rollers in the hindsight. However, there is an underlying issue that does relate to ‘electronic cigarettes’.
It appears to me that WHO is overly willing to hand over authority to their “expert” advisors. Such as the TobReg group, some individuals that managed to institutionalize their (prohibitionist) opinion to be generally recognized as speaking with the authority of the WHO.
As a reminder, this group recently published a “Report on the Scientific Basis” urging to snuff out ‘e-cigs’ - without referring to even one scientific study on that subject (some criticism here). And don’t forget that WHO is highly active on the ‘e-cig’ issue (source).

WHO Regulatory Consultation on the Safety of Electronic Nicotine Delivery devices (ENDS)
Date: 6-7 May 2010 Place: Geneva, Switzerland
This two day WHO drug regulatory consultation will address and assess the safety of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), of which electronic cigarettes are the prototype, which are growing in popularity and are part of a larger group of new and unregulated products that are marketed as an alternative when smoking is not allowed or as cessation aids or both. National drug regulatory representatives from Member States and a panel of experts will discuss safety and toxicological issues of ENDS, deliberate on how best ENDS should be regulated, and determine how to adequately evaluate and regulate these products.

If you look into the persons constituting this non-elected TobReg group, you’ll certainly stumble across Jack Henningfield. Not an unimportant personality in the US-rooted TC community. Highly published author, former SRNT president, on the FDA advisory pannel, the TobReg member actively campaigning against ‘e-cigs’ (here, here, and here) - and exclusive consultant to GlaxoSmithKline (here). Uups.

 

[Janetda]

Great link Googled and great post Tom!

 

[k9frog]

as far as im concerned the WHO has no creditbility,just like this flu pandemic that was sopposed to happen yea right by the info that i got the so called flu pandemic was a result of a experiment that didnt work and they spread the flu,and for the dam drug companys to use a usless vaccine that nobody wanted ,thats all it was about the money