GSK plc (GlaxoSmithKline) — Ethics Grade C

GSK plc (GlaxoSmithKline) receives an overall ethics grade of C (55/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Pharmaceuticals. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 70
• privacy: 80
• consumer: 40
• environment: 65
• humanRights: 75

Documented incidents (3)

• China Bribery Scandal (high, 2014) — Chinese courts fined GSK for funneling nearly $500 million through travel agencies to bribe doctors and hospital officials to use their drugs.
• Antidepressant Fraud Settlement (high, 2012) — Failed to report safety data regarding the use of Paxil in children and promoted the drug for pediatric use without FDA approval.
• Zantac Cancer Risk (medium, 2023) — Faces thousands of lawsuits alleging that the company knew the heartburn drug Zantac could form a cancer-causing chemical, NDMA, over time.

Documented good deeds

• World's First Malaria Vaccine — Developed the Mosquirix vaccine and committed to supplying it at no more than 5% above the cost of production.

Ethical alternatives

• Gilead Sciences — Stronger performance in access-to-medicine indices for developing nations.