Abbott Laboratories — Ethics Grade C

Abbott Laboratories receives an overall ethics grade of C (44/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Healthcare. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 55
• privacy: 80
• consumer: 20
• environment: 60
• humanRights: 50

Documented incidents (3)

• Sturgis Plant Contamination (high, 2022) — A massive recall of baby formula occurred after reports of Cronobacter infections in infants and the discovery of unsanitary conditions at its Michigan facility, leading to a nationwide shortage.
• Medicare Kickback Allegations (medium, 2023) — Agreed to pay $25 million to settle allegations that it provided illegal kickbacks to doctors and hospitals to induce them to use the company's carotid and biliary stents.
• Medical Device Price Gouging (medium, 2021) — Regulators in India investigated the company for allegedly selling heart stents at inflated prices, leading to government-imposed price caps on essential medical devices.

Documented good deeds

• Rapid Testing Donations — Donated millions of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria and hepatitis to low-income regions in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Ethical alternatives

• Medtronic — Diversified medical device maker with a stronger recent history of supply chain health and safety compliance.