GSK admits under bribery investigation in Poland

The British drug company GlaxoSmithKline(GSK) said on Monday that it was "co-operating fully" with Polish government's investigation after British media accusing it of paying bribes to Polish doctors.

Polish doctors were paid, under the mask of "educational services," to promote GSK's asthma drug Seretide between 2010 and 2012, BBC's current affairs television program Panorama exposed on Monday.

Eleven doctors and a GSK regional manager have been charged over alleged corruption by the local prosecutor.

The public prosecutor of the Polish region of Lodz found evidence in documents given to doctors by GSK to support claims of corrupt payments in more than a dozen different health centers where there was no evidence "patient education" had taken place, the BBC program said.

A statement issued by GSK alleged that the company ran a program to "assist in improving diagnostic standards and medical training" from 2010 to 2012 in Poland.

These sessions were delivered by specialist healthcare professionals who received "payments appropriate to the scope of work as well as their level of knowledge and experience."

"Following receipt of allegations in 2011 regarding the conduct of the programme in the Lodz region, GSK has investigated the matter ... The investigation found evidence of inappropriate communication in contravention of GSK policy by a single employee. The employee concerned was reprimanded and disciplined in 2011," it said

"We continue to investigate these matters and are co-operating fully with the CBA (Poland's Central Anticorruption Office)," it added.

Poland has become the latest country in a string of bribery claims to hit GSK as it faces legal action for allegedly paying doctors in the country to prescribe its drugs.

GSK said last week that it was "looking into accusations" that its Iraqi business had hired government-employed doctors and pharmacists to act as paid sales reps for the company.