13 Jan 2010

Swine flu response to be reviewed

3:12 pm on 13 January 2010

The World Health Organisation plans to hold an independent review into its handling of the swine flu pandemic, once it is over.

The organisation has been facing charges from some European politicians that it exaggerated the dangers of the H1N1 flu.

More than 12,700 people worldwide died from the flu strain - but the virus has turned out to less deadly than feared, the BBC reports.

As a result wealthy countries spent billions on medicines which many believe are now unnecessary. Governments in Europe are trying to resell their stockpiles of swine flu vaccine.

The Council of Europe is planning an investigation into whether pharmaceutical companies influenced public health officials to spend money unnecessarily.