Friday, October 28, 2005

Pharmaceutical and Device Companies Involved in Oil-for-Food Scandal

Now that the Volcker report is out about how more than 2000 companies paid bribes to Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq in order to sell products under the United Nation's oil for food program, it's no surprise that a number of prominent pharmaceutical and medical device companies were involved. So far, these include:
  • Astra Zeneca
  • Glaxo Wellcome
  • SmithKlineBeecham
  • Eli Lilly
  • Novartis
  • Roche
  • Serono
  • St. Jude Medical
This list was compiled from reports by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Swedish Radio, and DowJones.
Another (dubious) cost of doing business

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this update.

I knew about the Swiss companies but not the others.

Looking at the kickbacks (sorry - "after sales service") it looks like around 10% of sales was the going rate.

The usual game would be that the negotiating pharma exec would also get a "reverse-kickback" of 10% of the 10% given to the Iraqi (this would make them dirty as well and reduce future whistleblowing opportunities).