Contributing to society

Our success as a company and the nature of our products enable us to invest in under-served communities around the world	£328 million GSK’s global community investment in 2004 More than 100 countries benefited from humanitarian product donations from GSK
"We would be able to do only a tiny fraction of what we do without reliable donations of medicines from companies like GSK" Curtis R. Welling, President and CEO, AmeriCares

GSK's biggest contribution to society is the discovery and development of medicines that help people to do more, feel better and live longer. Our success as a company and the nature of our products also enable us to invest in under-served communities around the world.

GSK contributes to society through active engagement with numerous external stakeholders, including the World Health Organization and not-for-profit organisations. We fund community-led initiatives and donate essential products to support humanitarian efforts and community-based healthcare in more than 100 countries.

GSK's global community investment activities in 2004 were valued at £328 million or the equivalent of 5.4% of profit before tax. Not surprisingly, GSK has been recognised as the largest giver of any FTSE 100 company for the past three years.

The elimination of lymphatic filariasis
GSK's flagship community programme aims to eliminate the disfiguring, mosquito-borne disease lymphatic filariasis (LF) from the world by 2020. GSK has committed to providing as much of the anti-parasitic drug albendazole as required to treat the one billion adults and children at risk in more than 80 countries.

In 2004, the sixth year of the programme, 67 million albendazole treatments, worth £7 million at wholesale cost, were donated to 34 countries. Since the inception of the global elimination programme, GSK has donated a total of 307 million albendazole treatments, reaching more than 85 million people living in endemic areas.

Support for communities affected by HIV/AIDS
2004 marked the 12th year of Positive Action, GSK's pioneering global programme that partners with grass-roots, community-based organisations in 35 countries. Positive Action addresses the stigma of HIV/AIDS through education, and supports better care for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. During 2004, Positive Action established new programmes in Latin America, Asia, and central and eastern Europe.

Preventing childhood illnesses
Malaria and diarrhoea cause the deaths of millions of African children each year, yet these deaths are preventable. New malaria education programmes in eight African countries are teaching mothers about the importance of early diagnosis in children and the value of using insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent infection.

GSK's work on behavioural change continues through its award-winning Personal Hygiene and Sanitation Education (PHASE) programme for children in five African and Latin American countries.

Humanitarian aid
During 2004, GSK donated £50 million worth of products - mainly life-saving antibiotics - to more than 100 impoverished or disaster-struck countries through non-profit partners such as AmeriCares and Project HOPE. GSK's donations were critical to the medical needs of communities affected by the floods in Bangladesh, hurricanes in the US and the Caribbean, typhoons in the Philippines, the conflict in Sudan and the Asian tsunami.

GSK pledged £2 million to the relief effort following the earthquake and tsunami in Asia, as well as donating more than 3.6 million doses of antibiotics and 600,000 doses of the hepatitis A vaccine. We will continue to offer assistance throughout the region.

"This important public-private sector collaboration established between WHO and GSK in 1997 has benefited millions of individuals in developing countries" Dr LEE Jong-wook World Health Organization
Elimination of lymphatic filariasis: In 2004, Egypt completed five rounds of mass drug administration in a bid to eliminate LF. Preliminary results look impressive and it is anticipated that this ancient disease will soon be eliminated in Egypt.

MORE THAN 85 MILLION PEOPLE have been protected against LF with donated albendazole				MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES have benefited from GSK's community-based support
£50 MILLION value of vital medicines donated for humanitarian causes				Tsunami - GSK pledged £2 million as well as donating more than 3.6 million doses of antibiotics and 600,000 doses of the hepatitis A vaccine