世衛"大流行"定義 神秘改變

世衛"大流行"定義 神秘改變，INFORMATION報告
MYSTERIOUS CHANGE IN THE WHO DEFINITION OF A PANDEMIC, REPORTS INFORMATION
Friday, 01 January 2010 18:44
News - Highlighted News

MYSTERIOUS CHANGE IN THE WHO DEFINITION OF A PANDEMIC

By LOUISE VOLLER and KRISTIAN VILLESEN

http://www.information.dk/215341
Information
WHO changed the definition of a pandemic on its website without warning. This could have implications for all influenza pandemics, critics believe. It will allow the pharmaceutical industry continues to earn billions for vaccines for a relatively harmless disease
世衛在沒有警告之下改變其網站上的大流行定義，評論認為這可能影響到所有流感大流行。它將容許製藥業從某種相對無害的疾病的疫苗繼續賺取數十億萬美元。
The definition of a pandemic on WHO’s website was changed. In May, an influenza was required to cause a 'huge number of deaths and sick” before it could qualify as a pandemic. But this is no longer a part of the definition. These lines have been omitted, and this is a cause for concern, say several researchers:
流感大流行的定義在世衛的網站已被更改。在今年5月，流感被要求造成'大量死亡和不適“才有資格作為大流行。但這已經不再是定義的部分，這幾行已被刪去了，一些研究人員說這是一個令人關注的原因：

"WHO predicted swine flu in 2005 but it was only when it changed the definition of a pandemic in 2009 that they were right," said epidemiologist Tom Jefferson, who worked in Rome for the independent research, Cochrane for 15 years.

He finds it strange that just the lines are omitted because swine flu so far has cost only about 6,071 lives in contrast to the ordinary flu, according to the WHO each year costing up to 500,000 people.

"We need to know why the definition was changed? Who, who changed it and when? I believe we should all be reviewed by an independent defense, "said Tom Jefferson.

A scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Peter Doshi, criticized the recent change in definition in an analysis in the British medical journal, British Medical Journal

“Since the emergence of novel A/H1N1, descriptions of pandemic flu (both its causes and its effect) have changed to such a degree that the difference between seasonal flu and pandemic flu is now unclear, " was his criticism (http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/339/sep03_2/b3471).

Should follow the WHO

Former specialist in labor and community medicine in particular Aarhus University, Mauri Johansson, agrees:

'The concept is watered down. So many influenzas in the future will be classed as pandemics, and the decision lies solely with the WHO, "says Mauri Johansson, and identifies the implications:

"All member states are obliged to follow the recommendations of WHO : in Denmark, we are also obliged to purchase vaccines against flu because we like many other countries have made a contract with a company and this will be triggered if the WHO declared pandemic. '

Information has reported how several of the WHO experts are paid by the pharmaceutical industry - and how the decision to make H1N1 into a pandemic triggered vaccine orders with the pharmaceutical industry for up to 55 billion kroner.

The new definition should lead to a change in preparedness, believes Peter Doshi: "I do not think that it makes no sense to have a pandemic preparedness, which is designed for an emergency, if the disease-triggering emergency preparedness, is no more serious than the average annual level of sickness.

To call something a pandemic raises serious reactions in the public health, which in turn will have serious social, political and economic consequences, "said Peter Doshi.

Research Director Peter A Gross of Hackensack University Medical Center agrees WHO's revised definition is problematic.

"In the future it would be good for the WHO to be clearer in their definition of an influenza pandemic. It is unclear whether the mortality rate will increase as a result of H1N1, but in any case it will stress the health system,” notes Peter A. Gross.

WHO

Does WHO spokesman for H1N1's global alert, Gregory Hartl, think there are problems with the definition of an epidemic:
- Why is 'huge numbers of dead and sick' no longer a part of WHO's definition of a pandemic?

"The formulation has been used since 2004 when it was placed on a website. But it has never been the official definition. Instead you need to look at the Pandemic Preparedness Guidance.”

- The definition is on the WHO website under the title: What is an influenza pandemic? But it is not a definition?

"I know that people might think that the website is official, but it is not so. The phrase 'huge number of deaths and illnesses due to' has never been in the Pandemic Preparedness Guidance.”

It has not been possible to find out exactly when the change in definition of the WHO's website was implemented.

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