Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Australia
OVERALL |
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Owned |
UK |
Rating |
N/A |
Pharmaceuticals manufacturer and distributor
Company Ownership
Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Pty Ltd | AUS | website | ||||
GSK Consumer Healthcare ![]() owns 100% of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Pty Ltd |
UK | website | ||||
Pharmaceuticals This huge consumer healthcare joint venture between GSK and Pfizer kicked off in August 2019. GSK intends to demerge the joint venture in 2022, creating two new UK-based global companies focused on pharmaceuticals/vaccines and consumer healthcare. | ||||||
GlaxoSmithKline Plc ![]() owns 68% of GSK Consumer Healthcare |
UK | website | ||||
Pharmaceuticals One of the top five pharmaceutical companies in the world. Completed a series of asset swaps with Novartis in 2015 worth more than $20bn, which includes forming a consumer health joint venture, which GSK took over full ownership of in 2018. | ||||||
Pfizer Inc ![]() owns 32% of GSK Consumer Healthcare |
USA | website | ||||
Pharmaceuticals World's largest research-based pharmaceuticals firm. Its products include Viagra, Benadryl and Sudafed. Bought Wyeth in 2009 for US$68 billion. In 2019 Pfizer and GSK merged their consumer healthcare divisions. |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Pty Ltd | ||||
This company received a packaging performance level of 3 (Advanced) in its 2022 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2022) |
A Medicines Australia Code of Conduct meeting in June 2012 ruled that Pfizer breached advertising regulations when the company released "community service announcements" in mainstream newspapers in response to a surge in patients reporting they had been told Lipitor (atorvastatin) was no longer available. The company was fined $50,000.
Source: Medicines Australia (2012)
In 2013 and 2012 the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Complaints Resolution Panel upheld complaints about ads by this company on the grounds that they breached advertising codes. The Panel requested this company withdraw the ads and not to use representations in the ads again.
Source: TGA Complaints Register (2013)
Pfizer's controversial arrangement with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia to pay dispensing pharmacists for signing up consumers to support programs has been broadly criticised for various reasons. The company's smoking cessation treatment Champix (generic name varenicline) has a controversial history and is known to cause a range of side effects including nausea, insomnia, abnormal dreams, headache, constipation and even suicidal behaviour.
Source: The Conversation (2011)
According to the democracyforsale.net website, this company donated $317,272 to Australia's major political parties between 2012 and 2018, as disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commision (AEC).
Source: Democracy For Sale (2018) |
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GSK Consumer Healthcare | ||||
GSK Consumer Healthcare is a joint venture between the consumer health divisions of GSK and Pfizer. Both companies have criticisms and a Shop Ethical rating of 'F'.
Source: Shop Ethical (2020) |
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GlaxoSmithKline Plc | ||||
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2021)
GSK received the highest score in the Access to Medicine Index 2018, a ranking of the world's 20 largest pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to increase access to medicine in developing countries.
Source: Access to Medicine Index (2018)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 88/100 in the Pharmaceuticals category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 7 Feb 2021). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2021)
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of B.
Source: CDP (2021)
This company is a Carbon Trust Standard Bearer, signifying they have certified reductions in the environmental impact of their operations and supply chain
Source: Carbon Trust (2021)
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B.
Source: CDP (2021)
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Source: Human Rights Campaign (2021) |
In 2012 the US Department of Justice settled all charges against this company relating to the improper marketing of its anti nausea drug, Zofran to physicians for use in pregnant women and for paying kickbacks to physicians for using the medication. The company was required to pay US$3b in civil and criminal fines to dismiss the allegations. This does not absolve the company of any legal responsibility for damages or injuries caused by Zofran and many lawsuits have been filed in relation to birth defects and injuries.
Source: Drug Dangers (2012)
This company's type 2 diabetes drug Avandia is linked to severe heart problems. More than 50,000 Avandia lawsuits have been filed in state and federal court across the US, citing GSK's failure to inform patients about potentially life-threatening symptoms, including stroke, heart failure, heart attack, bone fractures, vision loss and death, that have been linked to Avandia treatment. GSK has set aside $6.4 billion to pay for Avandia litigation and settlement costs.
Source: Drug Watch (2016)
This company's antidepressant drug Paxil has been linked to serious and severe side effects including increased risk of suicide, birth defects and autism. This led to a number of lawsuits. By 2010, GSK had paid over $1 billion to settle more than 800 claims.
Source: Drug Watch (2016)
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2022)
In July 2012 GSK was fined $US3 billion for marketing drugs for unauthorised uses, holding back safety data, and cheating the US government's Medicaid program. The US Justice Department said the company misbranded its drugs Paxil and Wellbutrin, while making unbacked claims for its diabetes drug Avandia. The department said GSK targeted the antidepressant Paxil to patients under age 18 when it was approved for adults only, and pushed the drug Wellbutrin for uses it was not approved for, including weight loss and treatment of sexual dysfunction.
Source: news article (2012)
This company received a score of 10.8/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)
In 2019 several pharmaceutical companies finally settled a 2005 lawsuit which claimed the companies fudged wholesale drug prices to increase Medicaid reimbursements. In all, the state of Illinois received a combined $648 million over the course of that litigation. This company paid US$54.6 million in the 2019 settlement.
Source: news article (2019)
In 2018 this company was fined $489 million by Chinese authorities, the largest corporate fine ever in China, for using a network of travel agencies to channel around $489 million in bribes to health officials. The CEO of GSK China was sentenced to between two and four years in jail for corruption.
Source: news article (2018) |
In 2016 Greenpeace East Asia ranked the world's 30 biggest personal care companies on their commitment to eliminating microbeads from their personal care products. The scorecard was based on four main criteria: commitment & transparency, definition, deadline and global application. This company ranked towards the bottom of the scorecard. Microbeads are not retained by wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean where they are a threat to the marine environment.
Source: Greenpeace (2016)
In 2007, ITUC listed several key multinational having business links with
Burma, including GlaxoSmithKline. [Listed under Information due to age of report] Source: ITUC (2007)
This company appeared seventh on RepRisk's top ten "Most Controversial Companies of 2013". Companies on the list were severely criticised during 2013 by the world's media, governments and NGOs. Criticisms of GSK included conducting unauthorised vaccine trials in India, lawsuits over the health and safety of its products, bribery and fraud in China and USA, and workers rights in India. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: RepRisk (2013)
In 2016 an advertisement showing in the UK for GlaxoSmithKline's Aquafresh toothpaste brand was banned by the UK Advertising Standard Agency due to bogus claims that it provided '24 Hour Sugar Acid Protection'.
Source: news article (2016)
GSK agreed to pay a $750 million settlement in response to criminal and civil complaints against the company. SB Pharmco Puerto Rico Inc., a subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline, has pled guilty to producing and distributing a number of adulterated drugs, including popular medications Paxil and Avandamet. An investigation of the company's manufacturing practices showed that as many as 20 different drugs were unsafely produced for years at a large plant in Cidra, Puerto Rico. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]
Source: US Dept of Justice (2010)
This company has been criticised by ActionAid for having subsidiaries in tax havens. One of the main reasons companies have subsidiaries in tax havens is to dodge their taxes. Developing countries lose more to tax dodging than they receive in aid each year.
Source: ActionAid (2011)
In 2014 China fined this company US$490m after a court found it guilty of bribery. The record penalty follows allegations the drug giant paid out bribes to doctors and hospitals in order to have their products promoted. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]
Source: news article (2014)
This company is listed on the Federal Contractor Misconduct Database as having 33 instances of misconduct since 1995 amounting to US$8,804 million in penalties. Instances include deceptive marketing, litigation related to its antidepressant Paxil, fraud, antitrust issues and vaccine trial fines.
Source: Project on Government Oversight (POGO) (2014)
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target; responsible corporate engagement in climate policy; report climate change information in mainstream reports as a fiduciary duty; commit to electric vehicles; commit to 100% renewable power.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
This company was named in the Working Mother 100 Best Companies 2020 for being a mum-friendly employer. Listed companies demonstrate progress in offering paid parental leave and opportunities to return to work gradually, as well as family-friendly benefits and opportunities for women to advance.
Source: Working Mother (2020)
The Female FTSE Board Report 2020 measures of the number of women executive directors on the corporate boards of the UK's top companies. This company has 5 women on its board of directors (42%), and was one of 28 in the FTSE 100 with women in executive roles.
Source: Cranfield University (2020)
This company is a member of the AMR Industry Alliance, a coalition of biotech, diagnostics, generics and research-based pharmaceutical companies set up to provide sustainable solutions to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is an increasingly significant threat to global public health which puts at risk the effective prevention and treatment of a wide range of infections.
Source: AMR Industry Alliance (2021)
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 41%.
Source: Forest 500 (2021)
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2017)
Friends of the Earth's 2014 report "Tiny Ingredients, Big Risks" names this company as one of over 200 transnational food companies engaged in nanotechnology research and development, and on their way to commercializing products. New studies are adding to a growing body of scientific evidence indicating nanomaterials may be toxic to humans and the environment.
Source: FOE (2014)
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
Source: Open Secrets (2020)
This company received a score of 54.2/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek (2017)
The Corporate Research Project's Corporate Rap Sheets are dossiers summarising the most significant crimes, violations and other questionable activities of the world's largest and most controversial companies. Follow link to see this company's Corporate Rap Sheet. "In recent years, GlaxoSmithKline has become known as the company that pays massive amounts to resolve wide-ranging charges brought by U.S. regulators and prosecutors. These included a $750 million payment relating to the sale of adulterated products from a facility in Puerto Rico and a record $3 billion in connection with charges relating to illegal marketing, suppression of adverse safety research results and overcharging government customers. The company also set a record for the largest tax avoidance settlement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service."
Source: Corporate Research Project (2018)
This company is listed on the Facing Finance website as a company that manufactures weapons or profits from violations of human rights, pollution, corruption, or international law. Follow link for further details.
Source: Facing Finance (2015) |
Company Details
Type | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
Aus Manufacturing | Yes |
Contact Details
Address | Level 15-18, 151 Clarence St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia |
Phone | 02 9850 3333 |
Freecall | 1800 555 057 |
info.australia@pfizer.com | |
Website | www.pfizerconsumer.com.au |