Comments on: Glaxo Threatens Not To Invest In Massachusetts http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/ News, Comment and Conversation Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:46:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Justice in Michigan http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-354657 Justice in Michigan Thu, 08 May 2008 18:00:53 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-354657 RTW - Thanks for further word. Hope things have worked out for you. I have wondered what they will do with the signs on Plymouth Road when the final light goes out.... RTW - Thanks for further word. Hope things have worked out for you. I have wondered what they will do with the signs on Plymouth Road when the final light goes out….

]]> By: Justice in Michigan http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-354652 Justice in Michigan Thu, 08 May 2008 17:57:55 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-354652 Speaking for self, I made no claim of a legal obligation. Obviously, in general terms, companies can and do go where they want (if there are Martians willing to work for peanuts, even "globalization" will be out of date). I was responding more specifically to the use of threats as a tactic of the sort that thhis Glaxo guy did, precisely because relocation decisions are not made on such bases. So it does have the "ring" of what may serve those who represent the comapany in Massachusetts (like in the state legislature and conservative media). But you have to be careful when you mess with the Bay State. You may see folks dressed up as Indians dumping Paxil and Avandia into Boston Harbor. Speaking for self, I made no claim of a legal obligation. Obviously, in general terms, companies can and do go where they want (if there are Martians willing to work for peanuts, even “globalization” will be out of date).

I was responding more specifically to the use of threats as a tactic of the sort that thhis Glaxo guy did, precisely because relocation decisions are not made on such bases. So it does have the “ring” of what may serve those who represent the comapany in Massachusetts (like in the state legislature and conservative media).

But you have to be careful when you mess with the Bay State. You may see folks dressed up as Indians dumping Paxil and Avandia into Boston Harbor.

]]> By: Bob Freeman http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-354188 Bob Freeman Thu, 08 May 2008 13:35:35 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-354188 Chris & Atlex, yes, I agree there is no law, just competition among States and localities. And, Atlex, you're correct in that many seem to give away the farm to draw industries into their locales. I see the out-sourcing trend as well as the relocation of corporate headquarters to minimize taxes as having externalities that are to the detriment of both employees and communities. Chris & Atlex, yes, I agree there is no law, just competition among States and localities. And, Atlex, you’re correct in that many seem to give away the farm to draw industries into their locales.

I see the out-sourcing trend as well as the relocation of corporate headquarters to minimize taxes as having externalities that are to the detriment of both employees and communities.

]]> By: Chris http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-354171 Chris Thu, 08 May 2008 13:24:04 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-354171 I'm sure there is no law. There are many incentives though to attract incoming businesses, and particularly ones that bring manufacturing jobs. Novartis recently moved its R&D from New Jersey to MA on the basis of superior terms, I think related to favorable tax etc. PA is aggressively pushing for companies to leave NJ for there. Aside from manufacturing there's also a boost to the economy from higher paid, educated workers so it's rarely bad business - for as long as they stay in state. I suppose GSK is alerting other states to their situation, perhaps make an offer, although it sounds like sabre rattling given their various investments there. I’m sure there is no law. There are many incentives though to attract incoming businesses, and particularly ones that bring manufacturing jobs. Novartis recently moved its R&D from New Jersey to MA on the basis of superior terms, I think related to favorable tax etc. PA is aggressively pushing for companies to leave NJ for there.

Aside from manufacturing there’s also a boost to the economy from higher paid, educated workers so it’s rarely bad business - for as long as they stay in state.

I suppose GSK is alerting other states to their situation, perhaps make an offer, although it sounds like sabre rattling given their various investments there.

]]> By: Atlex http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-354109 Atlex Thu, 08 May 2008 12:47:33 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-354109 Last I checked, there is no law that forces a state to provide tax abatement to corporations. When they choose to do so they should set criteria that corporations must meet in order to receive the abatement. If they don't set the right criteria, isn't that the fault of the state and not the corporation? Last I checked, there is no law that forces a state to provide tax abatement to corporations. When they choose to do so they should set criteria that corporations must meet in order to receive the abatement. If they don’t set the right criteria, isn’t that the fault of the state and not the corporation?

]]> By: truthman30 http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-354039 truthman30 Thu, 08 May 2008 12:09:21 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-354039 Glaxo intimidating politicians and US states now are they? Is it company policy at Glaxo to bully anyone or anything which they see as a threat to their profits?.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OhcmaAf_zE One would have to ponder, did they threaten Paxil Activist Rob Robinson with a lawsuit to keep him quiet? Or did they pay him off? ( I guess either way they weren't impressed with his protests , one which included flying a plane with a banner "Ban Paxil" around their Philly HQ..) http://www.thepaxilprotest.com/ http://robrobinsonlives.wordpress.com/ They did threaten UK Seroxat campaigner Bob Fiddaman with a lawsuit over this Video.. http://www.furiousseasons.com/archives/2008/03/glaxo_goes_after_british_bloggers_video_1.html They also allegedly bullied Dr Buse over the Avandia heart attack scandal.. http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/avandiagate-jp-knew-doctor-was-intimidated/ They also threatened Canadian Pharmacies at one stage .. http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/ip-health/2003-January/004069.html And GSK made threats to Austraila and threatened to withdraw its R and D investment over one of its diabetes drugs there.. http://www.manufacturingchemist.com/story.asp?storyCode=19103&sectioncode=73 It seems to me that GSK uses its corporate muscle and financial strenghth to get its own way... Governments and politicians seem powerless against it.. Because if GSK doesn't get its way it makes threats, such as pulling its Research and investment from countries or states who dare to stand up to it... This is not capitalism or democracy , this is corporatocracy gone mad... The Seroxat (Paxil) Scandal is one of the most notorious medical scandals of recent times, it is on the scale of Vioxx or thalidomide, yet this drug is still being prescribed... In the UK (and around the world) many thousands of people have had their lives destroyed by this drug, and despite calls for a ban of seroxat by politicians, coroners, mental health groups, patient groups, psychiatrists, users of this drug and their families , this drug is still on the market... Why?.. http://seroxatsecrets.wordpress.com/ There was a recent recording of a meeting between the Seroxat Users Group and the MHRA( UK Drug regulator) in London.. This meeting was hosted on the furious seasons website... http://www.furiousseasons.com/archives/2008/05/recording_british_paxil_users_meet_with_brit_fda.html The MHRA is pharma funded and some of its high ranking employees have ties to GSK... It is interesting, because what this audio clearly indicates is the powerlessless of the UK regulator against big pharma... Big pharma operates above the law because the governments and politicians allow it to... And they allow it to out of fear... Being Pharma-Friendly is one thing.. But being Pharma-Fearful is quite another.. If the price of globalization is a society ruled by multinational corporations, corporate executives who are answerable to nobody and consumers whose lives are as expendable as trash then I would gladly trade my Latte and Laptop for life on a pigfarm in Outer Mongolia... Glaxo intimidating politicians and US states now are they?

Is it company policy at Glaxo to bully anyone or anything which they see as a threat to their profits?..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OhcmaAf_zE

One would have to ponder, did they threaten Paxil Activist Rob Robinson with a lawsuit to keep him quiet? Or did they pay him off? ( I guess either way they weren’t impressed with his protests , one which included flying a plane with a banner “Ban Paxil” around their Philly HQ..)

http://www.thepaxilprotest.com/

http://robrobinsonlives.wordpress.com/

They did threaten UK Seroxat campaigner Bob Fiddaman with a lawsuit over this Video..

http://www.furiousseasons.com/archives/2008/03/glaxo_goes_after_british_bloggers_video_1.html

They also allegedly bullied Dr Buse over the Avandia heart attack scandal..

http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/avandiagate-jp-knew-doctor-was-intimidated/

They also threatened Canadian Pharmacies at one stage ..

http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/ip-health/2003-January/004069.html

And GSK made threats to Austraila and threatened to withdraw its R and D investment over one of its diabetes drugs there..

http://www.manufacturingchemist.com/story.asp?storyCode=19103&sectioncode=73

It seems to me that GSK uses its corporate muscle and financial strenghth to get its own way…
Governments and politicians seem powerless against it..
Because if GSK doesn’t get its way it makes threats, such as pulling its Research and investment from countries or states who dare to stand up to it…

This is not capitalism or democracy , this is corporatocracy gone mad…

The Seroxat (Paxil) Scandal is one of the most notorious medical scandals of recent times, it is on the scale of Vioxx or thalidomide, yet this drug is still being prescribed…

In the UK (and around the world) many thousands of people have had their lives destroyed by this drug, and despite calls for a ban of seroxat by politicians, coroners, mental health groups, patient groups, psychiatrists, users of this drug and their families , this drug is still on the market…

Why?..

http://seroxatsecrets.wordpress.com/

There was a recent recording of a meeting between the Seroxat Users Group and the MHRA( UK Drug regulator) in London.. This meeting was hosted on the furious seasons website…

http://www.furiousseasons.com/archives/2008/05/recording_british_paxil_users_meet_with_brit_fda.html

The MHRA is pharma funded and some of its high ranking employees have ties to GSK…

It is interesting, because what this audio clearly indicates is the powerlessless of the UK regulator against big pharma…

Big pharma operates above the law because the governments and politicians allow it to…
And they allow it to out of fear…

Being Pharma-Friendly is one thing..
But being Pharma-Fearful is quite another..

If the price of globalization is a society ruled by multinational corporations, corporate executives who are answerable to nobody and consumers whose lives are as expendable as trash then I would gladly trade my Latte and Laptop for life on a pigfarm in Outer Mongolia…

]]> By: Paul http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-353139 Paul Thu, 08 May 2008 03:53:08 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-353139 Where does it say that a company can choose not to invest in a state that is completely unfriendly and outright unwelcoming to it? I would think Mass would want a productive, innovative industry that can hire the many scientists it produces and that can keep journals like NEJM alive and well fed. Where does it say that a company can choose not to invest in a state that is completely unfriendly and outright unwelcoming to it?

I would think Mass would want a productive, innovative industry that can hire the many scientists it produces and that can keep journals like NEJM alive and well fed.

]]> By: RTW http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-353099 RTW Thu, 08 May 2008 03:26:36 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-353099 Justice in Michigan - Yes I was there for a little over 20 years doing drug research. I was one of the "hands" working in the trenches. Saw a lot of changes most significant once Pfizer took over. Most of it not so good, though there where a very few ideas that could have gone somewhere if the company had only been a little more patent. Justice in Michigan - Yes I was there for a little over 20 years doing drug research. I was one of the “hands” working in the trenches. Saw a lot of changes most significant once Pfizer took over. Most of it not so good, though there where a very few ideas that could have gone somewhere if the company had only been a little more patent.

]]> By: Bob Freeman http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-352983 Bob Freeman Thu, 08 May 2008 02:18:13 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-352983 Chris, I wish I knew. I'm not an attorney so I wouldn't want to speculate. Perhaps someone here can add some insight. I should think a company can abandon any State willy-nilly but I am wondering out loud if there's any recourse for all the economic incentives provided. Chris, I wish I knew. I’m not an attorney so I wouldn’t want to speculate. Perhaps someone here can add some insight.

I should think a company can abandon any State willy-nilly but I am wondering out loud if there’s any recourse for all the economic incentives provided.

]]> By: Chris http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/glaxo-threatens-not-to-invest-in-massachusetts/#comment-352860 Chris Thu, 08 May 2008 01:08:41 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13504#comment-352860 Bob, Interesting point. Is there a formula that captures the extent to which a company may or may not have paid back its tax abatements to a state? And on that basis of reciprocity, if that's the concept, at what point is the company free to leave without punishment? In other words is there a contract with a state that provides for a term of residency? Bob,
Interesting point. Is there a formula that captures the extent to which a company may or may not have paid back its tax abatements to a state? And on that basis of reciprocity, if that’s the concept, at what point is the company free to leave without punishment?

In other words is there a contract with a state that provides for a term of residency?

]]>