Teva faces boycott in Britain - what happened
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has ended sponsorship and exhibition agreements with Teva following an open letter from activists. This is the second such move in a week—the Royal College of Nursing made a similar decision earlier. Teva said it is disappointed and believes healthcare should not be politicized.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has ended sponsorship and exhibition agreements with Teva, the largest Israeli pharmaceutical company. The decision was made after an open letter from activists, signed by pharmacists and healthcare workers, who called on the college to apply the same ethical scrutiny to Israel as it did to Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. Teva UK was set to participate in four college events under a £15,000 agreement. Last week, the Royal College of Nursing, representing 500,000 nurses, made a similar decision, citing Teva's ties to the IDF and a history of corporate violations. Activists have urged other medical organizations to follow suit. Teva said it is disappointed and emphasized that healthcare should not be politicized. The company also noted that it does not donate to political parties or military groups. The article also lists Teva's previous legal issues: a €462.6 million fine from the European Commission in 2024 for blocking competitors of the drug Copaxone, a $225 million payment to the U.S. Department of Justice in 2023, and $519 million in 2016 for bribery charges.