The World Health Organisation had problems handling the swine flu epidemic, but there was no evidence it tried to boost vaccine makers, according to the UN body’s member countries.

The WHO’s 193 member states, gathered for their 64th annual assembly, adopted an experts’ report into the management of the 2009-2010 pandemic that killed more than 18,000 people and affected some 214 countries and territories.

“The resolutions (of the report) were adopted this morning in the plenary session,” WHO official Fadela Chaib said.

Among others, the Council of Europe had called for a probe into the WHO’s handling of the outbreak, which it said caused an unjustified scare and waste of public money as countries stocked up on 78 million doses of vaccines, many of which were left unused and later destroyed.

Some commentators had accused the WHO of rushing to announce a pandemic and “suggested the reason was to enrich vaccine manufacturers”, the report of the WHO-appointed experts panel said.

But they found “no evidence of attempted or actual influence by commercial interests on advice given to or decisions made by WHO”.