Beechams

Beechams is a British pharmaceutical brand and historic company best known for Beecham's Pills, a laxative medicine introduced in the mid-19th century by founder Thomas Beecham. The Beecham business grew into a major UK pharmaceutical group that produced a range of consumer health products, including remedies for colds and other over-the-counter medicines, and expanded internationally in the 20th century.

In 1989, Beecham Group merged with SmithKline Corporation to form SmithKline Beecham, a multinational company. In 2000, SmithKline Beecham merged with Glaxo Wellcome to form GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Since then, Beecham operates primarily as a brand name within GSK’s consumer healthcare portfolio, rather than as an independent company.

Beechams products continue to be marketed in some markets under the Beecham name or under the GlaxoSmithKline umbrella, reflecting its legacy in British medical retail. The Pills remain a historical reference to the 19th-century origins of the company.