WHO's plan to work with privately-funded groups threatens its credibility

A number of non-state actors seeking renewal of their official relation status with the WHO receive funding from pharmaceutical, food and alcohol industries

The World Health Organization’s Executive Board, currently holding its 144th session in Geneva, is expected to endorse the status of a number of non-state actors (NSAs) in “official relations” with the body. However, a close look at the NSAs seeking renewal of their official-relation status shows that a majority of them receive funding from the private sector – pharmaceutical, food and alcohol industries.

This means that if the executive board is going to endorse any of these NSAs, and work with them, the WHO’s Secretariat will need to closely scrutinise them. Their funding and backing will need to be thoroughly examined