GlaxoSmithKline Bribery Probe Extended to Jordan and Lebanon

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline is investigating allegations that its staff offered bribes to doctors in Jordan and Lebanon, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The claims relate to GSK staff offering perks including flexible travel arrangements and free samples for doctors to sell, the newspaper reported.

The new probe is the latest in a string of internal investigations into claims of corruption in its international offices. It recently emerged GSK was investigating accusations of bribery at its Iraq office, while the BBC reported that the British company was also facing a criminal probe over its activities in Poland.

Chinese authorities are also investigating claims of GSK representatives bribing doctors.

"In total, we employ around 200 people in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq in our pharmaceuticals operations and these allegations relate to a small number of individuals in these countries," the statement said.

Glaxo also said that it takes all the allegations seriously and has strict controls in place relating to compliance, antibribery and corruption.

The Iraq investigation was reported by the Wall Street Journal in early April, after it viewed emails between company staff. One of the emails read: "I believe GSK practices in Iraq violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK Bribery Act," WSJ reported.

The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act deals with bribery of foreign officials by US businesses or corporations trading securities in the US.

Glaxo responded with an email saying it was taking the allegations seriously and "the scope of the investigation now covers several countries and business units" in the Gulf and Middle East, according to WSJ.

Glaxo is active in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The investigations are ongoing.

The Jordanian investigation relates to claims that Glaxo sales representatives bribed doctors in Jordan to prescribe their drugs by offering them free samples they could then sell on.

The claims also detail how representatives of the company allegedly allowed Jordanian doctors to bring their spouses with them on business trips, by trading in a business class ticket for two economy seats, one of which was then passed to a spouse. Local GSK staff were aware of the practice, according to the emails seen by WSJ.

Glaxo sales representatives allegedly bribed doctors in Jordan to prescribe Glaxo drugs by issuing free samples that the doctors were then allowed to sell on, according to the emails.

The emails allege that Glaxo sales representatives gave Jordanian doctors up to 60 free samples of the Synflorix vaccine, which they then sold on at up to $70 per vial.

The emails also allege that Glaxo sales representatives gave free samples of the same vaccine to doctors in Lebanon, to encourage them to prescribe the vaccine over those of its competitors, WSJ reported.