Pharmaceutical Giant Merck Pulls Funding From Boy Scouts Over Anti-LGBT Discrimination

The drugs giant Merck has suspended its funding for the Boy Scouts of America, citing its discrimination against gay people.

The maker of top-selling drugs including asthma treatment Singulair and the HPV vaccine Gardasil joins Intel and UPS, which both pulled their funding following a campaign by lobby group Scouts for Equality.

In July, after a two-year consultation, the BSA reaffirmed its long-time policy barring openly gay members from joining the organisation and barring gay and lesbian people from serving as scout leaders. The ban sparked a national backlash and was condemned by both president Barack Obama and his Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney.

Much support for Merck, Intel and UPS on their actions with regard to this issue.