Britain’s Serious Fraud Office says it has opened a criminal investigation into the commercial practices of GlaxoSmithKline PLC and its subsidiaries.

 

The pharmaceutical company has faced a series of investigations into its activities in recent months including a major corruption probe in China. A BBC program last month featured a whistleblower in Poland who alleged that company representatives paid doctors to boost prescriptions.

 

The fraud office says that “whistleblowers are valuable sources of information to the SFO in its cases. We welcome approaches from anyone with inside information in all our cases including this one.”

 

In a statement issued late Tuesday, the company pledged to cooperate with the fraud office and said it is “committed to operating its business to the highest ethical standards.”

 

Date: May 27, 2014

Source: Associated Press