Dec 16 (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc will stoppaying doctors to promote its products, Chief Executive AndrewWitty said in an interview with the New York Times, in a movethat could be a first for a major drug company.
GSK will also stop tying compensation of salesrepresentatives to the number of prescriptions doctors write,the NY Times said. ()
The company's decision comes at a time when GSK facesallegations of illegal payments to Chinese doctors andofficials.
Chinese police have accused GSK of funneling up to 3 billionyuan ($494 million) to travel agencies to facilitate bribes toboost its drug sales. The accusations are the most seriousagainst a multinational in China in years.
However, in the interview Witty said that the proposedchanges were unrelated to the investigation in China, and arepart of a yearslong effort "to try and make sure we stay in stepwith how the world is changing."
Witty declined to comment to the newspaper on the Chineseinvestigation because he said it was still underway.
GlaxoSmithKline could not immediately be reached for commentby Reuters outside of business hours.
Glaxosmithkline (GSK)