[Conflicts of interest in public institutions. It will be the network to exercise control?]

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a health awareness campaign soliciting the use of antiviral drug for influenza. The claim is not supported by any statement of the Food and Drug Administration, since the Agency concluded that oseltamivir «has not been proven to have a positive impact on the potential consequences (such as hospitalizations, mortality, or economic impact) of seasonal, avian, or pandemic influenza». A feature article published in The BMJ has pointed out the fact that some pharmaceutical companies involved in production and marketing of antiviral drugs have provided funding to the CDC Foundation to support qualitative research into influenza prevention and treatment messaging. This incident highlights the need to better manage the possible conflicts of interest that may arise in the work of governmental agencies, threatening their reputation.The role of the internet can be valuable to raise awareness of these issues, even considering the interest that social media have fuelled on the debate on the effectiveness and safety of antiviral drugs.