Abbott Laboratories
From SourceWatch
 | This article is part of the Global corporations portal on SourceWatch. |
Abbott Laboratories is a global drug company which had global sales of $22.4 billion in 2006. The company sells its products in more than 130 countries through affiliates and distributors. It sells pharmaceutical products, diagnostic instruments, and medical & surgical devices. Some of its more familiar, over-the-counter products are Similac infant formula and the Ensure line of nutrition supplements.[1]
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Suspended From Drug Industry Lobby Group
In late January 2006 a comedian hosting the UK Pharmaceutical Marketing Society's Annual Advertising Awards ceremony joked that "twenty years ago it was all lap dancing and champagne for the doctors. These days you're lucky if you can give them a three-star hotel and a f***ing biro." Not so, it seems. In mid-February 2006 the British drug industry lobby group, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) announced that it had suspended Abbott Laboratories from membership for six months for breaching its self-regulatory marketing code. ABPI's media release didn't specify what activities had been complained about.
However, buried in a 112-page report (pdf) it was revealed that in 2004 company representatives had taken dozens of hospital doctors greyhound racing, a senior manager had taken a health professional to a lap-dancing club and a senior manager provided senior hospital consultants with centre court tickets to watch tennis at Wimbledon.
Animal testing
Abbott Laboratories does animal testing.
Animals by species, numbers & location
- Abbott Park, Illinois [2]
For links to copies of this facility's U.S. Department of Agriculture reports indicating species, number of animals used and other information visit Stop Animal Experimentation Now Facility Reports and Information, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal Plant Health Inspection reports. This Web site lists each of the 50 states; each state's name links to biomedical research facilities in that state, and to PDF copies of government documents where the facilities must report their animal usage.
Contract testing
Abbott Laboratories contract tests out to Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS). [3] Huntingdon Life Sciences is 3rd largest contract research organization (CRO) in the world and the largest animal testing facility in all of Europe. Firms hire HLS to conduct animal toxicity tests for agrochemicals, petrochemicals, household products, pharmaceutical drugs and toxins. [4] HLS has a long history of gross animal welfare violations. See also Huntingdon Life Sciences, sections 2 & 3.
Social Responsibility Report
In May 2007, Abbott released a report on its corporate social responsibility practices, which included company efforts in "governance and compliance; environment, health and safety; global workforce; social investment and philanthropy; and key issues, such as expanding access to health care," according to an Abbott press release. [1] Among the CSR efforts that Abbott highlighted was "becoming the first company to partner with Environmental Defense on the GreenFleet initiative to measure, reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions in fleet vehicles, with preliminary data indicating a 4 percent reduction in emissions." [2] [3]
Corporate donations
Abbott Laboratories donates products to AmeriCares. [4]
Public relations
Americans for Medical Progress's (AMP) board of directors consists of senior executives and other representatives employed by the pharmaceutical and vivisection industries. Board members represent multinational, billion dollar corporations as well as universities and institutions receiving government grants for vivisection. They include: Charles River, Abbott Laboratories, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Wyeth. [5]
Lobbying
In 2006 Abbott Laboratories spent $2,260,000 for lobbying. $880,000 went to outside lobbying firms with the remainder being spent using in-house lobbyists.[6]
Political contributions
Abbott Laboratories gave $566,474 to federal candidates in the 05/06 election period through its political action committee - 18% going to Democrats and 82% to Republicans. [7]
Executive Compensation
According to Fierce Pharma, Abbott Laboratories' CEO, Miles White, was the top wage earner in 2007 among pharmaceutical CEOs.
- Total Compensation: $33.4 million
- 2007 Revenue: $25.91B
- 2006 Revenue: $22.47B
- Change: 15.3%
"White made $33.4 million in, up 24 percent from 2006. The pay hike was rooted in the value of his stock options: $14.8 million in 2007 versus $8.5 million in 2006. His base salary was virtually the same. White received a little over $1 million in other compensation, which covered $851,678 in pension plan-related payments and $103,292 on personal use of Abbott's aircraft."[8]
Contact
100 Abbott Park Rd.
Abbott Park, IL 60064
Phone: 847-937-6100
Fax: 847-937-9555
http://www.abbott.com
Articles & sources
SourceWatch resources
- Americans for Medical Progress
- Animal testing
- Arthur D. Collins Jr.
- Huntingdon Life Sciences
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority
- William M. Daley
References
- ↑ Profile, Hoovers, accessed July 2007.
- ↑ Abbott, Abbott Park, IL, Humane Society of the United States, Research Facilities, accessed February 2009
- ↑ Inside Customers, Inside Huntingdon Life Sciences, accessed December 2008
- ↑ Frequently Asked Questions About Huntingdon Life Sciences, Inside HLS, accessed February 2009
- ↑ Board of Directors,Americans for Medical Progress, accessed February 2009
- ↑ Abbott Laboratories lobbying expenses, Open Secrets.
- ↑ 2006 PAC Summary Data, Open Secrets, accessed July 2007.
- ↑ Abbott's Miles White: CEO Pay, Fierce Pharma, Top 17 Paychecks in Big Pharma, May 19, 2008
External links
- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, "Company suspended from ABPI membership over breaches of code", February 10, 2006.
- Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority, "Code of Practice Review: 2006 February Review", February 2006. (Pdf file)
- Sarah Boseley, "Drug firm censured for lapdancing junket", Guardian, February 14, 2006.
- Abbott press release, "Abbott Highlights Strong Performance in Corporate Social Responsibility in 2006 Global Citizenship Report," Abbott Laboratories via PR Newswire, May 9, 2007.
