We simply cannot turn our backs on the genocide in the occupied territories of Palestine.

Teva Pharmaceuticals are listed by the Who Profits Research Center, as a company which has the advantages generated by the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands allowing the company to exploit the Palestinian market. (see https://www.whoprofits.org/companies/company/4212?teva-pharmaceutical-industries)

Teva are present in the Irish market for pharmaceuticals. A search of the Health Product Regulatory Authority database of medications licensed for humans shows that there are 277 medications with the word “Teva” in their name.

While Teva does employ people in Ireland in manufacturing and sales, among other things, these people do not make decisions directly that disadvantage people on the ground in Palestine. Ideally, Teva would divest, and sell the facilities in Ireland to someone else (preferably local). However, even if they did not, Teva employees are skilled people, and while it would be regrettable that they might loose employment, they have a good chance of finding similar roles elsewhere in Ireland’s pharma sector, or similar.

In some cases there are very little alternatives to Teva products, This is partly because in the small marked for medications in Ireland some of the mergers and acquisitions that have occurred in the pharma sector have meant that there is not much competition with some products, and some of the generic manufacturers which Teva bought up were specialists in these niche areas. This has also had the knock on effect that a combination respiratory product that was being marketed by Teva has been unavailable for over a year – so in fact they have been boycotting us!

Many medications in this database have a symbol showing that they are interchangeable. The first step people can take is to ask whether there is an alternative that they can take, and many patients are doing that. People who are making decisions on which medications to prescribe or dispense should also take it on themselves to choose alternatives.

However in most cases, there are alternatives, so ask your doctor or pharmacist to use them!