In the largest settlement to date between a drug company and the federal government, GlaxoSmithKline will pay $3 billion to settle civil and criminal claims related to its illegal marketing practices for several drugs.  Avandia, one of the pharmaceutical company's most widely distributed drugs, was found to increase the risk of heart attacks in some patients. Rather than modifying the drug label to include an increased warning for heart attacks, or voluntarily recalling the drug, GlaxoSmithKline attempted to suppress an article that linked Avandia to the increased risk of heart attacks.

Other controversial GlaxoSmithKline products include: Paroxetine (the anti-depressant with a black-box warning - the highest warning given out by the FDA) and Ribena (the fruit drink which falsely claimed to possess high levels of Vitamin C).

GlaxoSmithKline is also currently fighting claims of cheating the United States Medicaid program.