GSK Announces Halt To Political Contributions
One of the biggest of Big Pharma companies, GlaxoSmithKline (nee: SmithKline Beecham) has announced on December 22 that they will stop making contributions to state-level politicians in North America. GSK makes many medications taken by migraineurs and those with chronic headaches, including Ecotrin, Imitrex, Treximet, Solpadeine and Paxil (an antidepressant sometimes used off-label for migraines).
Are They Really Serious?
Last year, GSK contributed over $375,000 to various politicians. Giving these whopping huge bribes — er, donations — is considered normal in the realm of big business and politics. However, it usually means that politicans then turn a blind eye to the big business shennanigans, such as price-gouging, pressuring doctors to conceal the results of clinical tests and paying celebrity doctors under the table to promote their products.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, GSKs known contributions to Candian and American politicians topped $6 million. That’s peanuts for a company that rakes in billions per year.
Perhaps these politicians are getting too expensive, especially the Republicans, which lost big in the last election. GSK’s contributions were 51% for the GOP and 49% for Democrats (who like money just as much as the Republicans.) They’re used to paying for losers. (Hello, JP Garnier!)
Yes , I Do Have A Personal Grugde Against GSK
GSK has no plans to stop influencing politicians in the near future and actually admit it. They will continue to keep their Political Action Committe in full swing and will continue to hire lobbyists to pimp on their behalf. GSK has laid off a lot of workers in the past year or forced early retirement. They have to have two US headquarters (in Philadelphia and North Carolina), but finally decided that one US headquarters was enough and picked the North Carolina site. The International headquarters is in London.
No, I’m not too keen on GSK because I know too many employees that were treated shoddily by them — and too many users of their prescription drugs that were also treated in an even more shoddy fashion. The money they make is absolutely mind-boggling and is concentrated for the pockets of the top eschelon of management.
The American automakers don’t need a bailout from Congress — they should ask GSK for it.
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