TOPIC: Corruption of Science by Pharmaceutical Companies Scientific Integrity versus Business practices.
After reviewing the Case Study articles, assess the actions, ethics and situation using critical thinking as outlined. For your Business Ethics course, you will review, assess and report the ethical dilemma in a real business situation. Case 1 is about the corruption of science. There are always conflicts and choices in business. For the pharmaceutical companies that research, test, produce and distribute drugs for our well-being the regulations are complex. The stated intent of drug trials is to protect people from harm. Again, it is a scientist professional obligation to find the fundamental truth regarding the relative good versus the relative bad side effects of any given drug. Part of this course requirement is to become more sensitive and observant of the grey area circumstances and situations that converge for an ethical dilemma.
The following assessment criteria shall be used for the case study. More importantly, this ABC 3 step critical thinking process may help you throughout your career:
1. (A) what were the factual antecedents that preceded an ethical breach, crisis, accident, crime or poor judgment that made the ethical dilemma(s) transparent to those outside the specific enterprise? I want to know you comprehend what happened (briefly) within Merck, Pfzier and Glaxco.
2. (B) what behavior was highly unethical? I expect you to describe a singular breach of ethical conduct. Singular means pick one company (Merck, Pfzier or Glaxco and drill down and into the situation). If there was a transaction that was particularly unethical, please describe that transaction including the position, title or name of the participants. In this part of your report, explain WHY people chose to disregard common values and ethics such as trust, integrity or fairness to others. In this part of the case study you should specifically describe the ethical breach that corrupted the science that proves the efficacy of the drug (s) for human benefit. Use your judgment of business and human behavior to determine the WHY behind the ethical breach. Once you focus on a significant ethical breach you can further elaborate on other unethical behaviors. There are basically three Pharmaceutical companies mentioned in the assigned readings. After the general introduction or antecedents for all companies narrow down into one company's actions.
(B) What behaviors followed the initial breach of ethics? In other words, did one ethical breach motivate or inspire more ethical breaches? For this portion of your case study, please utilize ethical terms such as justice, fairness, welfare, freedom and virtue. Do not just list them in a sentence. Use the word and then describe how the word clarifies the situations. For example if you refer to JUSTICE what is out of balance between personal freedom and welfare or equality of society?
3. (C) What was the outcomes or consequences? Consider both short term and long term, financial, reputation, relationships, image and/ or trust. Report if the cultural, social and legal landscapes have changed for the better or worse based on this case.