The World Health Organization and Artemisia annua Sarah Staub University of Florida, Department of Anthropology

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Tea ir.fHsion 12 ad nit malaria, with limited success in Sub- WHO position Counter argument 4 ,1,1~ "" dol. (2000) Tea jr:fu.,iun 411 Jdult >Ubjeru .'vt ol .ir;., infeeled I l /tlJy fur Unclear 92:[; fre e (~•)' 4) Mueller Saharan Africa. In 2007, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation stated that anything less than the 4 da1·s "" "' ct al. Efficacy and The WHO has stated that they cannot be sure • Cited studies did not test the (2 .'vla lor"' infected •=I L1<'.•~ for 47.0 mg/d•~ 77/l4\ fre< Ida)' 7/35) 2l/66'1: Mueller malaria but has fa iled to reference a single might be responsible for the 7 da1~ "" (day 7/15) ct al. traditional medicine which means we are entering the General of World Health Organization (WHO). A number of obstacles to malaria control and (1004) study that addresses the supposed observed high Tea irJu "" (day 7/35) ct •I. eradication have been identified by the WHO, governments and organizations and they have stated ineffect iveness of the plant on the treatment recrudescence rate and did (20041 playground of the pharmaceutical industry. The main problem ·1-, ir_h.,inn< Varim" stndie, 'vt .11 ,ria in fecr,d Varinu, Variroi< > !ISJ 1r .. Aname,l of malaria. Instead, their cla ims o f not follow current ,r_JJ.000 ,ui,j,~·1, "" '" (2tl1Z) that new, sustainable, and innovative approaches are necessary for success; yet the WHO continues to Pmmded j,rire Mice P/a,modi•m 500 cl, nnce 9.0 mK,'k~ Suppre,~on of "' Wright ineffect iveness have focused on rates of treatment protocol [n=un< nown] ,'>ar.,:liei infected r=•so•aem,a: 52'.1; "' <."lal,{,IIIU) or limitations might therefore not only be scientific but also Pmo,d,d juice Mic• Pl0<,10odium 500 "L twi'" \ij.Dmg10g s,q,pre,~on nf Wrighr reoccurrence, citing Mueller MS et al., (2004) • In vitro efficacy of A. annua (n= u11k now") !>e,i:J0ar,:11,i infeArtemisinin combination therapy (ACT) medicine and mfeTIER ./INJe 14. ]C/? 4:00 ~M peer-reviewed research. With over 10,600 peer reviewed studies on the use of the been accused of biased recommendations, failure to disclose financial ties with the pharmaceutical Swine Flu Didn't FlyO gi: Artemisia annua plant for malaria it appears that their simple claim of a lack of peer- industry and negotiating medicines with governments on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies. By “WHO is infested by corruption. There is big For makers of the sv.1ne -n u vaccine, 2009 was a year to remembe r. By June, World Health Organization Scientists Linked to Swine Flu reviewed clinical evidence is not valid. not addressing the scientific literature, and the growing use of Artemisia annua in Africa the WHO is Vaccine Makers corruption, like the management of H1N1, and HUFFINGTONPOST COM By TODD NEAlEand MEOPAGE TODAY · • While the WHO has stated that African governments need to take more ownership and straying from their initial objective of allowing people the highest possible level of health and their Jun, S. 2010 there is small corruption; and between the big WHO scandal e xposed: Adv isors received motives should be questioned. It is my belief that the peer-reviewed research regarding Artemisia kickbacks from H 1N 1 vaccine manufacturers control of their programs and identify those that will be sustainable, they concurrently Feature » conflicts of Interest ·''""' ''"· and the small corruption there is [corruption] in '-,·' 'M,',""'", 'Ad am ;, " " '' 'f'-k'";,.,' , ~""!I" c o ;io, cl N, Je cs'tJews.cc n (S e e anart ,cles. ..) deny countries the right to use any malaria funding for the promotion of Artemisia annua. annua for malaria addresses the WHO’s stated concerns, their claim of a lack of evidence on the plant T.s. ,.._..., e,,., Oea;,h .,,._ WHO and the pandemic flu "conspiracies" is unsubstantiated and their true opposition to the use of this plant lies in financial and political BMJ 2010 ; 340 doi: http://www libreriabv.com/10.1136/brnj.c291 2 (Published 04 June 2010) all imaginable forms” anonymous high-level, long- • Governments, NGO’s, academics and experts have identified a history of corruption within reasons. Cite this as: BMJ 2010;340:c2912 CDC, WHO and Big Pharma: A Dangerous Network the WHO, have deplored this neo-colonialist rule and have called upon African researchers term WHO employee (Kyriakou, 2010). of Corruption Why the Corruption of the Wo rld Health Posted ori March 2 2015 116 Comments and governments to seek their own solutions to malaria control and go against the WHO in Organization (WHO) is the Biggest Threat to the By .4L Whitney© copy round 2015 The pandemic that never was promoting Artemisia annua (Weathers et al., 2017). World's Public Health of Our Ti 111 e Background Soren Vemegodt The Australian • Aug 15, 20 1 O • The WHO has repeatedly been accused of corruption, ties to the pharmaceutical industry, Article FebH1ary2015 wirll l ,212Read• Swine flu , which emerged in Mexico in March last year and se Fraud, Corruption, Harassment OOl 101318812:l73-13'1310!Xl004 Charges R ise Inside World Health failure to disclose conflicts of interest, biased recommendations, and negotiating Organizati on Who's fund ing WHO? I The BMJ w.nhingtonpostcom > He.llth medicines with governments on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies. www.bmj.com/content/334/7 589/338 ..,. by M D a y - 2007 - C i t e d by 7 - Relat ed a r tic les DREWJ O HNSO N 8 : 5 5 AM 05/ 3. 1/2 0 16 Reports accuse WHO of exaggerating H1 N1 threat, possible ties Nc>t i o n a l o ;,-e cto.-. P r otect l n t e ,·n e t F r eedom • A review of WHO’s financial records, MPAC meeting reports, declarations of interest, to drug makers F eb 15, 2007 - serious quest ions h ave been raised a Malaria By Rob Stein ERG’s, and submitted reports supports the notion that they formulated their position Was hingto n Post Sla ff Wr iter • Nearly half of the world's population is at risk of malaria. Friday, Ju fle 4, 201O ; 3:52 PM AP Exclusive: Health agency spends more on travel than AIDS statement on the effectiveness of Artemisia annua for malaria without any official • In 2015, there were roughly 212 million malaria cases and an estimated • 2005 financial policy change discussion or review of evidence and financial and political motivations may be behind the 429,000 malaria deaths, with more than 90% of these cases and deaths • Ties to Pharmaceutical industry WHO’s true opposition to the use of Artemisia annua. occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (WHO, 2016). • 2002 meeting and 2004 recommendations on stockpiling • Evidence is mounting for the safety and efficacy of the use of Artemisia annua, to prevent • Failure of WHO to disclose financial ties and refusal to release details of declarations of interest and treat malaria. We know that a vast number of people are using Artemisia annua in Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae) • Presence of pharmaceutical company representatives at policy meeting various forms for the prevention and treatment of malaria and they will continue to do so • commonly known as sweet wormwood • 2009 Flu Vaccine Scandal due to the availability, low cost, efficacy and a growing lack of trust of western based • native to Southeast Asia and China. • WHO advisor ties to pharmaceutical companies medicines (Kooy and Sullivan, 2013). The question is, will the WHO continue on this path • Artemisinin extraction in 1972 • WHO intentional hype of flu season of corruption and continue to prevent this use or will they follow their objective of • The plant has been naturalized r ,,. • Change in definition of “pandemic” allowing peoples the highest possible level of health by promoting research and discussion 'l and grown in over 75 countries. ' " • Original definition: “An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears on this tool for malaria eradication. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION EXPENSES I against which the human population has no immunity, resulting in several simultaneous World Health Organization (WHO) epidemics worldwide with enormous numbers of deaths and illness.” • May 2009 definition: “An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears • Created by the United Nations in 1948. $70.5 MILLION 61 MILLION References SPEH! ill' FltHllHG $201 SPENT OH CCUHIERlt.G • The objective of WHO is the attainment by all peoples of the highest AIDS & HEPATITIS MILLION MALARIA against which the human population has no immunity.” possible level of health. Health, as defined in the WHO Constitution, is a 2016 TRAVEL COSTS • After this redefinition, the WHO declared H1N1 the first “pandemic” in 42 years, FOR ABOUT 7,000 STAFFERS Blanke, C. H., Naisabha, G. B., Balema, M. B., Mbaruku, G. M., Heide, L., & Müller, M. S. (2008). Herba Artemisiae annuae tea preparation compared to state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely 23 MILLION 59 MILLION categorizing it a “Level 6” pandemic emergency. sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in adults: a randomized double-blind clinical trial. Tropical SPOIi OH TAO:LIHG SPENIOH CCUHIERlt,G MENTAL HEALTH & TUBERCULOSIS • doctor, 38(2), 113-116. the absence of disease or infirmity. SUBSTANCE ABUSE Vaccine contract stipulations required countries purchase reserves if a “pandemic” is declared. Closser, S. (2012). “We can't give up now”: global health optimism and polio eradication in Pakistan. Medical anthropology, 31(5), 385-403. Duke JA. (2001). Handbook of phytochemical constituents of Grass herbs and other economic plants. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL p 70. WHO opposition to Artemisia annua • Criticism of WHO organization expenses 2015 int11rn.ol UN ..ivdit findings (clS'l'$ o f Elfawal, M. A., Towler, M. J., Reich, N. G., Weathers, P. J., & Rich, S. M. (2015). Dried whole-plant Artemisia annua slows evolution of malaria drug • dem;; nds for wrongdoing 2015 internal audit by the United Nation’s Office of Internal Oversight Services resistance and overcomes resistance to artemisinin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(3), 821-826. WHO Objections Against the Use of Artemisia annua irivesli,g;;t ion of Reported inciden.b Hc1 rc15sment cl.rims ln5t ;;nces of fr.oud .is reported • At the World Health Assembly meeting, health officials Si,JSpei:ted offr.rvd, by W HO Objection WHO pos ition Counter ar~ument wrongdoing. employees Mueller, M. S., Runyambo, N., Wagner, I., Borrmann, S., Dietz, K., & Heide, L. (2004). Randomized controlled trial of a traditional preparation of aod Artemisia annua L. (Annual Wormwood) in the treatment of malaria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 98(5), Artem isinin The WHO cited t hat substanda rd doses of • Artemisia anrwa is a from around the world chastised the UN’s public health watchdogs . Resistance Artem is inin has le d to artemis in in resistance Polytherapy 318-321. but have yet t o cite any studies co nnecting the No scientifi c proof that t he arm for creating an environment where serious violations • Onimus, M., Carteron, S., & Lutgen, P. (2013). The surprising efficiency of Artemisia annua powder capsules. Medicin Aromat Plants, 2(3), 2167-0412. use of the Artemisia annua plant to integration of the pla nt into are allowed to occur. 83 artemisinin resistance the overall global st rategy Increase Van der Kooy, F., & Sullivan, S. E. (2013). The complexity of medicinal plants: The traditional Artemisia annua formulation, current status and future agai nst ma lari;;i would result from • Corruption and Malaria 2014 2014 2014 perspectives. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 150(1), 1-13. in artemisinin resistance (Weathers et al., 2017; • 2015 financial records Ventegodt S. Why the Corruption of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the Biggest Threat to the World’s Public Health of Our Time. J Integrative Weathers et al., 2014; Med Ther. 2015;2(1): Elfawal et al. 2015) • Pharmaceutical industry contributions- $30,275,130- $20,920,096 million of that coming from 3 The WHO did not specifically address the • "Generally regarded as pharmaceutical companies that produce the ACT malaria medicine or vaccine GSK, Novartis, Sanofi Weathers, P. J., Arsenault, P. R., Covello, P. S., McMickle, A., Teoh, K. H., & Reed, D. W. (2011). Artemisinin production in Artemisia annua: studies in Safety safety of the plant itself in eit her the 2004 or safe" (GRAS) status by the planta and results of a novel delivery method for treating malaria and other neglected diseases. Phytochemistry Reviews, 10(2), 173-183. 2012 statements except to say that more FDA Pasteur clinical research was required to demonstrate • No low or high-dose t oxicity Weathers, P. J., Elfawal, M. A., Towler, M. J., Acquaah-Mensah, G. K., & Rich, S. M. (2014). Pharmacokinetics of artemisinin delivered by oral t hat non-pharmaceutica l forms of A. annua, being found (Weathers et. • 2004 and 2012 position statements consumption of Artemisia annua dried leaves in healthy vs. Plasmodium chabaudi-infected mice. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 153(3), 732-736. including tea bags, are safe and effective to Al., 2011; J. Duke, 2001; t reat malaria, Onimus et al. 2013) • Malaria Policy Advisory Committee(MPAC) Weathers, Pamela, Lucile Cornet-Vernet, Ahmed Hassanali, and Jean-Jacques Schul Letter to World Health Organization (2017). Note to World Health • No significant negative side Organization on Integration of Artemisia annua into the Strategy Against Malaria in Africa. effects • No reported discussion of Artemisia annua in any meeting Variable WHO fea rs that different soil types, climatic • A3 ANAMED hy brid • No Evidence Review Group (ERG) or Technical Expert Group on Artemsia annua WHO. (2016). World Malaria Report 2015 Summary. Report. Geneva, 2016. Content of conditions and cultivation methods gene rate • Post-harvest Artemisinin Artem isinin different plant composit ion thc1t stability • Conflicts of interests- Declaration of Interests (DOI) could diminish the effectiveness of the plant • Synergism by reducing the artemisinin content • ACT artemisinin content and • 117 out of 180 members over 12 MPAC meetings reported “relevant interests” co unterfeits Acknowledgements Proper Dosage The WHO has stated that the varia ble content • Packaged tea bags and • 102 DOIs reported financial interests, 22 personal, 39 specific, 2 significant of artemisinin could affect dosage and tablets • uncontro ll ed treatments may result in • Concern for ACT medicines 14 members recused from part of at least 1 session. incorrect dos.es.. I would like to thank Dr. Kevin Bardosh and Dr. Marit Østebø for their input and guidance on this project.