The World Health Organisation has instituted legal proceedings to prevent an UK company making use of its logo for its advertising campaigns. The British company called Influenza Protection has been using the WHO logo is an effort to sell the flu drug Tamiflu. The WHO has said that the Tamiflu drug is an important part of getting prepared for an influenza flu pandemic but has not authorised the use of its recommendations and logos to sell the drug.

The WHO were concerned that by using their logo the company was exploiting the situation and preying on peoples fears about a possible bird flu outbreak. The company also was asked by the Department of Health to refrain from using their logo too on their publicity material. The company Influenza Protection responded by saying that they were an ethical company that took their responsibilities seriously and that they had no wish to deceive the public but were committed to informing them and supplying them with Tamiflu packs for adults and children.

Tamiflu is a prescription medication and therefore it is illegal to promote the drug directly to the public and it is only allowed to be promoted to doctors and health professionals who can prescribe it to their patients if they see fit. Tamiflu is and was developed as a regular flu drug but it has been seen to be effective with the H5N1 bird flu virus that has infected some humans in the Far East. The H5N1 bird flu virus is much more serious than normal influenza and has killed over 50% of all the people who have got it.

The UK government has got 14.6 million courses of Tamiflu from its maker Roche that should mean that around 25% if the UK population would be covered for treatment in the event of an outbreak. The WHO has also bought and has been given millions of treatment courses of Tamiflu by Roche to deliver to any part of the world that may suddenly need it.

It is still thought the demand for Tamiflu outstrips its supply despite statements from Roche saying that they are meeting global demand. The WHO say that Tamiflu is not the only answer to stop the spread of a H5N1 virus and that governments must educate their people to wash their hands alot and to stop contact with people as much as they can in the event of an outbreak.