CWA 1180 - Political Action

Boycott GlaxoSmithKline
April 2003

BOYCOTT these GlaxoSmithKline products:

Tums
Aquafresh
Beano
Citrucel
Contac
Gaviscon
Geritol
Nytol
Nicoderm
Nicorette
Polident
Poligrip
Sominex
Sensodyne
Tagamet
Tegrin
Vivarin

Take this list with you whenever you go to the drug store. If you take a prescription drug made by GlaxoSmithKline, ask your doctor is there is a comparable drug you can take instead.

The Local 1180 Retired Members Club has joined the nationwide boycott of pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline for its move to cut off Canadian pharmacies that sell drugs at lower costs than U.S. pharmacies. The club is urging everyone in 1180 to honor the boycott and spread the word.

A growing number of U.S. residents are buying their prescription drugs through Canadian pharmacies. Many use on-line pharmacies on the Internet; others physically make the trip to Canada. The reason is simple: prescription medications in Canada are far more affordable, as much as 80% cheaper than U.S. prices. The reason for that, in turn, is also simple: Canada has a national health insurance system that regulates prices so drug companies can't gouge patients the way they do on our side of the border. Big pharmaceutical companies have successfully blocked efforts in the U.S. to rein in skyrocketing drug prices.

In response, people in the U.S. are increasingly turning to Canadian pharmacies. An estimated one million U.S. customers are now buying their drugs in Canada, and 90% of them are senior citizens. But apparently it's not enough for GlaxoSmithKline to make billions in profits and sell drugs in the U.S. at obscene prices. In January, they decided to cut off at least 29 Canadian pharmacies and their wholesalers. This spectacle of corporate greed has enraged consumers in the U.S., and especially senior citizens.

Healthcare activists from many different communities have organized the boycott in response. Among seniors, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the AFL-CIO's retiree wing, has played a leading role. The 1180 Retired Members Club is active in the New York chapter of the alliance, and has been promoting the boycott.

They are asking everyone to boycott GlaxoSmithKline products and to call the company to express their outrage. GlaxoSmithKline can be reached toll-free at 388-825-5249.

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