GSK bribery accusations in China

Senior execs from the Chinese division of GSK have been accused by China's Public Security Bureau (PSB) of paying doctors and hospitals "to open new sales channels and increase drug revenues". A criminal investigation is underway, according to the Chinese authorities.

However, Britain's biggest drug maker reportedly told Sky News that it rejects these claims of offering free travel as "large bribes".

In a statement, GSK said: "We take all allegations of bribery and corruption seriously. We continuously monitor our businesses to ensure they meet our strict compliance procedures. We have done this in China and found no evidence of bribery or corruption of doctors or government officials."

According to Reuters, a statement from the PSB claimed that "after questioning, the suspects confessed to the crime". Fake receipts were also used in ways that violated tax laws, claimed the statement.

Jerry Ling, a Shanghai-based partner for law firm Jones Day who specializes in US and Chinese anti-bribery law, reportedly said that it is too early in the process to know the extent of potential punishments, but that this could be a serious case, Reuters reported.