India today asked the WHO to effectively explain reports that swine flu was a "false" pandemic after which the international body agreed to clarify to countries about its factual position on the matter.
Making an intervention in the Executive Board meeting of WHO in Geneva, Union health secretary Sujatha Rao pointed out that such news reports that the pandemic was false were adversely impacting upon the public health measures being undertaken by countries.
She also called for greater transparency about terms and conditions on which international vaccine manufacturers were supplying vaccines to countries.
In response to this intervention by India, it was agreed that WHO would formally write to National Focal Points in all countries clarifying the factual position about the H1N1 pandemic to quell all doubts that had been created.
Commenting upon the report of the WHO on the progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, Rao urged WHO to clearly promote generic drugs as a strategy for rational drug use.
India emphasised that it is only the WHO that has the credibility to withstand the persuasive power of branded and patent drugs.
New Delhi urged all countries to promote access to medicines and not to confuse the issue of counterfeits which is an IPR issue with safe and efficacious generic drugs.
