NMA Awards GlaxoSmithKline With Two Top Honors

9/10/2003

From: Reese Stone or Alisa Mosley of the National Medical Association, 202-347-1895

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The National Medical Association (NMA) awarded honors to two executives of the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) at its Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Robert A. Ingram, vice chair, Pharmaceuticals, GSK, received the 2003 Scroll of Merit award the NMA's highest honor. Past recipients of the Scroll of Merit have included former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, tennis great Arthur Ashe, and entertainer Bill Cosby.

In receiving the honor, Ingram said that GSK and the NMA have worked in the African-American communities to reduce the incidences of diabetes, heart disease, and asthma, to slow the rate of infection with HIV/AIDS, and to increase access to vaccines.

In addition, the NMA's Urology section chair Dr. Gerald Hoke presented Dr.Ronald Walls, medical director for Urologic and Cardiovascular Diseases, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Research and Development, GSK, for outstanding achievement and support of the organization. Dr. walls is a four-time recipient of this award. The president of the National Medical Association, Dr. Randall Maxey, commented that Dr. Walls has consistently shown superior support for the organization and in addressing the issues of health disparities in the African American community.

Prior to the convention, GSK US Pharmaceuticals President Chris Viehbacher announced to the NMA leadership a grant of $1.5 million over three years to help establish the NMA Health Institute. The Institute will develop, evaluate, and implement strategies to eliminate health care disparities and improve the health status of African-Americans.

GlaxoSmithKline, with US operations in Philadelphia and Research Triangle Park, NC, is one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies, and is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

The National Medical Association represents more than 30,000 African-American physicians. It is the leading force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health care treatment and delivery. For more information, visit the web site at http://www.NMAnet.org.