Outside experts to review WHO's swine flu response

GENEVA — The World Health Organization says a group of independent experts will assess the global body's response to the swine flu outbreak. WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda says experts will examine questions raised about how the UN agency and national governments reacted to the appearance of the new strain last year. He says the group of 29 scientists and public health officials will likely also scrutinize whether WHO changed the definition of a pandemic and whether the use of the word was appropriate. Fukuda told reporters Monday that the review committee will hold their first meeting April 12-14. He says a prelimiary report will be presented in May and a final report should be ready next year. — AP