By Marie Kelly
November 14, 2025

Philadelphia

Earlier this year, Health Care Workers for Palestine (HCW4P) launched a worldwide campaign to boycott the Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals, a major distributor of generic medications here in the U.S. and throughout the Western hemisphere. The campaign in the U.S. was adopted by local chapters of HCW4P in major areas, including the San Francisco Bay Area, New York and Philadelphia.

Since the campaign launch, the “No Teva” boycott has been endorsed by and included in the targets of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement.

The initial thrust of the campaign centered on getting individuals to speak to their pharmacist about the boycott. HCW4P members held actions outside pharmacies, approaching individuals and engaging in conversation while handing out flyers.

The 3-fold pamphlet was designed by HCW4P members of the “No Teva” boycott campaign. In bold graphics, it lists examples of how Teva Pharmaceuticals was complicit in genocide through their support and funding of the Israel Occupation Forces.

The pamphlet also bullet-points other shady dealings by Teva, including their role in the opioid epidemic. The company has had to shell out millions of dollars to compensate victims of Teva Pharmaceuticals profit-driven marketing of highly addictive medications to individuals suffering from painful injuries and diseases.

Recently, some Teva medications have been recalled due to contamination with carcinogens. Included in the pamphlet is an easy to follow script that individuals can use when talking to their pharmacists. The suggested “ask” is to switch any prescribed medications to a non-Teva supplier, if available and not cost prohibitive.

Second, ask the pharmacist to note on the individual’s account that non-Teva drugs are preferred. HCW4P emphasizes that no one should discontinue any medication if Teva is the only option.

This author’s experience is worth mentioning, because of how easy it was. At the local CVS, her pharmacist looked up each of her medication’s suppliers and was able to recommend a suitable substitute for one of them. It was altogether a positive experience, including that her pharmacist understood that she was boycotting Teva because of their role in the Gaza genocide.

Distributing flyers by the Philadelphia chapter of HCW4P continues several times each month at local pharmacies. The response from the public has been enthusiastic. People were unfamiliar with Teva Pharmaceuticals and their connection to the IOF. After some conversation, people welcome the ability to do something constructive to cut a source of funding to the Zionist regime.

Next steps for the boycott are to broaden the scope. The campaign will target independent pharmacies next. HCW4P will visit independent pharmacies to educate them about the boycott and encourage them to seek out non-Teva suppliers. The logic is that the independent pharmacist has more control over suppliers than pharmacists working at some of the major pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreen’s.

As momentum for the boycott grows, the push will be for prescribing doctors and nurses to ask for non-Teva alternative medications for their patients.

The HCW4P has called for days of an outreach campaign to pharmacies from Nov. 17 to Nov. 23. For more information on the HCW4P and the “Boycott Teva” campaign: Health Workers 4 Palestine and BoycottTeva.org.