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Commitment to transparency and access

This page lists recent announcements relating to greater transparency of our activities and improving access to medicines. Where available, a link to further information is provided.

2009

GSK updates marketing practices policy
Updated policy provides general principles on GSK’s interactions with healthcare professionals (HCPs) and on the marketing and promotion of products.

Announced 29 October 2009
Effective 29 October 2009
GSK marketing practices (79KB PDF)

GSK limits medical education funding to independent programs with highest impact on patient care
New standards for funding accredited, continuing medical education (CME) for healthcare professionals to ensure the programs result in improved patient health.

Announced 21 September 2009
Effective 2010
US press release

New commitments to fight HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa
A series of new initiatives targeted at improving research, development, and access to HIV/AIDS medicines for children in Sub-Saharan Africa and supporting healthcare for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Announced 14 July 2009
Effective July 2009
Press release
More information on the patent pool

Alnylam joins patent pool for neglected tropical diseases
Alnylam is the first company to join the pool, tripling the number of patents available in the pool.

Announced 8 July 2009
Effective July 2009
Press release

Reporting payments to US healthcare professionals for conducting research
Payments made to US healthcare professionals and/or their institutions for conducting clinical trials starting from 2010 will be reported. 

Announced 24 Mar 2009
Effective Jan 2010
Working with healthcare professionals (from 2008 CR Report)

Posting observational studies, meta-analyses and studies of terminated compounds on the GSK register
This will supplement the existing information on the GSK Clinical Study Register on which we post all our Phase l-lV clinical trials of marketed medicines.

Announced 24 Mar 2009
Effective Jan 2009
GSK Clinical Study Register

Committing to publish all clinical research results in the scientific literature
We will publish all our clinical research of GSK medicines either as manuscripts in peer reviewed journals or, when studies are not published, provide context and interpretation via the GSK Clinical Study Register to supplement the result summary which is posted.

Announced 24 Mar 2009
Effective Jan 2009
GSK Clinical Study Register

Reporting clinical trial investigator names and institutions
The names of the investigators participating in GSK-sponsored clinical trials, together with the institutions they are working in, are now included on registers of clinical trial protocols for studies starting from January 2009 onwards.

Announced 24 Mar 2009
Effective 1 Jan 2009
GSK Clinical Study Register

Publishing product donations valued as average cost of goods
Our new approach to valuing donations as average cost of goods rather than the wholesale acquisition cost is a more accurate reflection of the true cost to GSK.  We believe we are the first pharmaceutical company to adopt this practice.

Announced 24 Mar 2009
Effective Dec 2008
More information on community investment (from 2008 CR Report)

Publishing 2008 grants made to patient groups in Europe and international markets
Being transparent about our support for patient groups helps build trust with our stakeholders, including the groups themselves.

Announced 20 Feb 2009
Effective 2007 for Europe and 2008 for international markets
Details of support for patient groups in Europe and APJEM

Policy on pricing for Least Developed Countries
GSK is reducing its prices for patented medicines in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) so they are no higher than 25 per cent of the price in the developed world providing this covers the cost of goods.

Announced 13 Feb 2009
Effective 1 Apr 2009
Summary of Andew Witty's Harvard speech
More information on the patent pool

Reinvesting profits in healthcare infrastructure
GSK will reinvest 20 per cent of profits made from selling medicines in LDCs to support the strengthening of healthcare infrastructure in these countries.

Announced 13 Feb 2009
Effective 1 Apr 2009
Summary of Andew Witty's Harvard speech

Adopting a more flexible approach to IP for medicines for neglected tropical diseases
We will create a ‘patent pool’ and patent applications to allow others to use the patents to develop medicines for 16 neglected tropical diseases.

Announced 13 Feb 2009
Effective 24 Mar 2009
Summary of Andew Witty's Harvard speech

Reporting costs of European Commission lobbying
GSK has disclosed the costs associated with Brussels advocacy work during 2008 to the European Commission’s voluntary register.  GSK was one of the first pharmaceutical companies to join the register.

Announced 5 Jan 2009
Effective Dec 2008
Link to EC register

2008

Stopping all corporate political contributions
GSK voluntarily stopped all corporate political contributions. GSK had previously made corporate contributions in countries such as the US and Canada.

Announced 22 Dec 2008
Effective 1 Jan 2009
Press release

Voluntary decision to end the use of great apes in research
GSK only does animal research where absolutely scientifically necessary and we ensure that the lowest possible order of animal is used. Next to humans, great apes are the highest order of animals. GSK will no longer initiate or initiate funding of studies using great apes.

Announced 28 Oct 2008
Effective 28 Oct 2008
GSK policy on use of great apes in research

Reporting fees paid to US healthcare professionals for speaker and advisory services
We pay healthcare professionals (HCPs) for their services when they speak at GSK-sponsored meetings and when they provide consultancy services such as sitting on an advisory board.  The first report of fees paid from April 2009 will be published in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Announced 22 Oct 2008
Effective 1 Apr 2009

Publishing educational and charitable grants made to US health-related organisations
GSK has published educational and charitable grants made during October – December 2008 to US health-related organisations including hospitals, teaching institutions and patient advocacy groups.

Announced 21 Aug 2008
Effective 20 Feb 2009
More information on US website