Independent report says swine flu cost Britain $1.8 billion, calls response 'effective'

01/07/2010

LONDON (AP) - An independent review says Britain spent 1.2 billion pounds ($1.8 billion) fighting swine flu, including 1 billion pounds on drugs.

The study published Thursday says officials spent 654 million pounds preparing for a possible pandemic of H1N1 influenza and 587 million pounds responding to the outbreak. The total includes 1.01 billion pounds spent on drugs including antivirals, vaccines and antibiotics.

The review by former senior medial official Deirdre Hine calls the government response "proportionate and effective," but says inflexible contracts for vaccines left Britain with many extra doses.

The World Health Organization says more than 17,000 people have died worldwide since swine flu emerged in April 2009. There have been 457 deaths in Britain.