Eli Lilly has become the latest pharmaceutical company to be accused of bribery in China amidst a string of allegations directed at big drugs companies including Britain’s GSK.
The US drugmaker Eli Lilly has been accused of bribing Chinese doctors to prescribe its drugs. The company has said it is “deeply concerned” about the allegations.
These fresh allegations of bribery, estimated to be worth £3.1m according to the Chinese newspaper 21st Century Business Herald, are not the first to be levelled at Lilly.
The drugmaker had to conduct an internal probe last year after similar accusations were made. The firm says it was unable to verify the allegations but assured that it continues its search for evidence of malpractice.
Lilly has some manufacturing facilities in the UK, based in Liverpool.
The area is a bio-pharmaceutical hub where British pharma manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline also has extensive operations.
GSK was accused with similar acts of bribery in China earlier this week.
Chinese authorities have said GSK has facilitated bribes up to the value of £320m.
GSK has admitted that some senior executives in its China office appear to have broken the law.
