Urges Congressional Hearings on Waste at World Health Organization

Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a report today that finds the World Health Organization (WHO), a United Nations health agency, wasted tens of millions of U.S. tax dollars on ill-founded medical policies and initiatives.  The U.S. funds almost a quarter of the WHO’s annual budget, more than any other nation.  The report urges an immediate investigation by the U.S. Congress.

“It is time for our nation’s investment in the WHO to be thoroughly reviewed,” CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “The WHO should be a leader in setting health standards, focusing on basic health needs, and solving health crises.  Instead it is both mismanaged and chronically ineffective.  This report raises a serious concern that the WHO may be doing more harm than good.”

The CAGW report found that the WHO:

• Sanctioned untested AIDS drugs for use in Africa and Asia in the fight against AIDS; and
• Maintains an “other budget” of almost $2 billion in 2004-05 that includes contributions from known political activists such as George Soros and Ted Turner.

The report asks the U.S. Congress to hold oversight hearings to examine the medical, financial and advocacy policies of the WHO.  Oversight hearings should review, among other issues:

• Whether the WHO misused U.S. tax dollars through its policies and initiatives, including the promotion of drugs that are unsafe, ineffective, and violate patent laws;
• WHO’s “other budget” and the influence non-governmental organizations have on the organization’s policies and initiatives; and,
• Reforms for the WHO.

“Congress must begin an investigation into the WHO before more tax dollars are squandered and more patients are subjected to poor medical decisions,” said Schatz.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement, and abuse in government.