The British medical journal (BMJ) revealed that top scientists who convinced the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare H1N1 a global pandemic held close financial ties to the drug companies that profited from the sale of those vaccines.

Baxter, the US vaccine manufacturer, paid at least numerous huge settlements, some of them for millions of dollars after being accused of fraud amid allegations that it had overpriced medicines by as much as 1,300%.

Drug companies have sold $1.5 billion worth of swine flu shots, in addition to the $1 billion for seasonal flu they booked earlier in 2009. Congress has set aside more than $10 billion to research flu viruses, monitor H1N1's progress and educate the public about prevention.