 In June 2010 , Fiona Godlee , editor @-@ in @-@ chief of the BMJ , published an editorial which criticised the WHO , saying that an investigation had disclosed that some of the experts advising WHO on the pandemic had financial ties with drug companies which were producing antivirals and vaccines . Margaret Chan , Director @-@ General of the WHO , replied stating , " Without question , the BMJ feature and editorial will leave many readers with the impression that WHO 's decision to declare a pandemic was at least partially influenced by a desire to boost the profits of the pharmaceutical industry . The bottom line , however , is that decisions to raise the level of pandemic alert were based on clearly defined virological and epidemiological criteria . It is hard to bend these criteria , no matter what the motive " . In August 2010 , the Daily Mail printed an article stating that " a third of the experts advising the World Health Organisation about the swine flu pandemic had ties to drugs firms " and that of the 20 members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies , which advised the British Government on swine flu , 11 had done work for the pharmaceutical industry or were linked to it through their universities . 
