GlaxoSmithKline Investigated for Bribing Doctors

Some 3,500 doctors in several German towns are currently being investigated for alleged undue financial advantages and corruption after aggressive marketing by a drugs company. The district attorney's office in Munich, which is carrying out the investigation, said that suspicions were raised over excessive marketing activities by SmithKline Beecham, the company which merged in 2000 with Glaxo Wellcome to form GlaxoSmithKline.

From 1997 to 1999 SmithKline Beecham invited hospital doctors and their spouses to conferences in Germany and abroad. An additional 5800 payments of up to 25,000 each (£15,477; $22,051) were made, in some cases for travel costs, conferences, studies, lectures, or expert consulting. In other cases, books, personal computers and donations were given. When SmithKline Beecham held a conference on its new ACE inhibitor drug, doctors were invited to visit the final of the football world championship or a formula one race nearby.
British Medical Journal, 2002;324:693 (23 March) News