The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 266 No 7149 p718-722
May 26, 2001

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GlaxoSmithKline

Anti-British sentiment?

From Mr G. A. Kaye, FRPharmS

The demise of the Wellcome unicorn is recorded by John Turner with sadness (PJ, January 20, p83). Unlike Mr Turner, I have no personal connection with any of the companies concerned, but I do think a more appropriate name could have been chosen for the new entity.

To me “Glaxo Beecham” would have made sense. It is more compact than GlaxoSmithKline and, with one name from each of the merging groups, should have been sufficient. Furthermore, retaining Beecham in the name would have kept the only British name of the five in the two merging groups. Glaxo came from New Zealand; Wellcome, Smith and Kline came from the United States.

Does the exclusion of Beecham hint at an anti-British sentiment among the hierarchy of the merged group? Perhaps there is no longer any pride in being British? What happened to the “Land of hope and glory”?

G. A. Kaye
Killarney Heights, New South Wales, Australia

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