Abbott’s Global Citizenship Programme, which assists and supports societies and communities throughout the world, is central to the company’s business and recognises both the rights and responsibilities that all people – not just companies – have to their neighbours and environment.

We make our pharmaceuticals, medical devices and nutritional products available through company and industry patient-assistance programmes through which we provided more than $170 million’s worth of free product to patients in 2006 alone.

We also work with governments and other organisations to remove underlying barriers to healthcare. Much of our work focuses on HIV/AIDS, where Abbott is engaged on many fronts to improve the healthcare infrastructure in developing countries and to support patients and medical staff.

In 2006, the total investment from Abbott and Abbott Fund (the not-for-profit philanthropic organisation established by Abbott in 1951) was $300 million through corporate philanthropy, patient assistance programmes, humanitarian relief, and AIDS-related programmes reaching millions of people worldwide.

Abbott is listed on the 2007 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World) where we are ranked among the top 10 per cent of the 2,500 largest companies worldwide. For more information, go to http://www.abbott.com/global/url/pressRelease/en_US/60.5:5/Press_Release_0511.htm

To learn more about Abbott’s global citizenship initiatives, go to www.abbott.com/citizenship