World Health Organization (WHO) News

Update: WHO Deems Aspartame Possible Carcinogen; Consumption Limits Unchanged

The sweetener aspartame is a “possible carcinogen” but it remains safe to consume at already-agreed levels, two groups linked to the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Friday. The rulings are the outcome of two separate WHO expert panels, one …

The Meds They Bought Were Toxic. Now Gambian Parents Seek Justice.

Families of 20 Gambian children who died after consuming cough syrups made in India will take their government to court this month for allegedly mishandling drug imports – a rare step in one of Africa’s poorest countries, where few have …

WHO Cancer Research Arm to Say Aspartame Sweetener a Possible Carcinogen: Sources

One of the world’s most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and …

WHO Says Toxic Syrup Risk ‘Ongoing’, More Countries Hit

There is an ongoing global threat posed by toxic cough syrups, the World Health Organization (WHO) told Reuters, saying it was now working with six more countries than previously revealed to track the potentially deadly children’s medicines. The U.N. agency …

Global Drugmakers Blast Plan for COVID Vaccine Patent Waiver

Global drugmakers condemned on Wednesday an initiative by four World Trade Organization members to introduce an intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines, saying it could undermine the industry’s ability to respond to health crises in future. The United States, the …

Millions of Migrants Can’t Get COVID Vaccines Because of Drugmakers’ Liability Fears

BRUSSELS/BANGKOK – Tens of millions of migrants may be denied COVID-19 vaccines from a global program because some major manufacturers are worried about legal risks from harmful side effects, according to officials and internal documents from Gavi, the charity operating …

WHO Says China’s Vaccine Prevents COVID But Questions Data on Side Effects: Reuters

WHO experts have voiced “very low confidence” in data provided by Chinese state-owned drugmaker Sinopharm on its COVID-19 vaccine regarding the risk of serious side-effects in some patients, but overall confidence in its ability to prevent the disease, a document …

Biden Backs Patent Waiver for Covid-19 Vaccines

President Joe Biden on Wednesday threw his support behind waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, bowing to mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and more than 100 other countries, but angering pharmaceutical companies. Biden voiced his support for a temporary …

Airlines Seek WHO Approval of Quarantine-Free Travel After Vaccines

The airline industry has called on the World Health Organization to rule it’s safe for people to fly without quarantining once they’ve had a coronavirus vaccine. Acknowledgement of that principle from the United Nations agency is vital to the development …

WHO to Form COVID Insurance Scheme for Vaccine Side-Effects in Poor Nations

BRUSSELS – A vaccine scheme co-led by the World Health Organization is setting up a compensation fund for people in poor nations who might suffer any side-effects from COVID-19 vaccines, aiming to allay fears that could hamper a global rollout …