By Asher Mullard

The World Health Organization (WHO) has come under fire after an internal email surfaced showing that a pharmaceutical lobbying group had access to a confidential draft report on the financing of drug research and development. WHO officials have defended the integrity of its decision process, but critics say that a clear industry bias has tainted the agency’s commitment to the developing world.

“I find this incredibly disturbing,” says Tido von Schoen-Angerer, director of the campaign for access to essential medicines at Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in Geneva. “It’s a clear indication that [big pharma] had room to influence the report.” (Click here to continue reading; subscription required)