GlaxoSmithKline, The Not So Amiable Giant
GlaxoSmithKline is a British pharmaceutical manufacturer created in 2000 by the merger of two giant medical companies. The merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham made the company the sixth largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in the world. It’;s only behind Pfizer,Novartis, Merck, Hoffmann-La Roche, and Sanofi. GlaxoSmithKline is responsible for the manufacture of many popular medications, including the antidepressants Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Paxil/Seroxat (paroxetine), and the oral diabetes medication Avandia (rosiglitazone).
Lawsuits and Side Effects
GlaxoSmithKline is no stranger lawsuits and legal actions. Avandia, once the world’s bestselling diabetes medications, was found to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, causing sales of the drug to be restricted in the United States. In 2010, GlaxoSmithKline paid about $60 million to settle approximately 700 Avandia claims in the U.S.
In July of 2012, GlaxoSmithKline plead guilty to illegal marketing practices and withholding test data. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) ordered GlaxoSmithKline to pay $3 billion in fines. This case involved the company’s lucrative medications Paxil, Wellbutrin, Avandia, and the asthma drug Advair.
Another scandal erupted when a GlaxoSmithKline subsidiary employee made whistle-blower claims that set off a major federal investigation. The employee had inside information that the company was shipping drugs contaminated by bacteria, mislabeled, too strong, or not strong enough. In the end, the company plead guilty to distributing adulterated drugs.
Contact Us
Don’t let huge, multinational corporations with deep pockets and armies of lawyers put the health of you and your family members at risk. If you have suffered an injury or lost a loved one due to the use of a GlaxoSmithKline product, you need to consult a pharmaceutical litigation attorney.
Farah & Farah is investigating pharmaceutical litigation claims nationwide. To put our legal team to work on your case, call (800)533-3555 for a free consultation.
