Case Study on Drug Testing in Nigeria
Drug Testing in Nigeria
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Background 3-4
Ethical Dilemma 4-5
Situational Analysis 5-6
Stakeholder Analysis 6-7
Analysis Based on Ethical Theories 7-8
Conclusion and Recommendations 8-9
References 10
Drug Testing in Nigeria
Introduction
‘What if a drug company experimenting on critically ill children does not get the proper
Parental consent, 11 of those children die and a whistleblower is fired?’ (Perlroth. 2008)
This paper will discuss the issues caused by the actions taken by Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company. First, we will discuss the ethical dilemmas caused by the testing and identify the factors related to individuals involved; companies and managerial practices and policies, as well as factors that helped create the ethical dilemma. Then we will identify the stakeholders and discuss how the factors that cause the dilemma affect them. Third, we will analyze the ethical dilemma based on ethical theories. Finally, the paper will conclude with analyzing whether Pfizer took the right action and if not what action should have been taken.
Background
A group of Nigerian families has taken legal action against the pharmaceutical company, Pfizer. The lawsuit, which was filed in a US court, claims that the families' children were entered into a trial of Pfizer's Trovan (trovafioxacin) for bacterial meningitis in 1996 without informed consent. The families accuse the US-based drug company of violating "international law, federal regulations, and medical ethics, in its zeal to carry out its test" (Ahmad, 2001).
According to the Trovan Fact Sheet 1996 marked the beginning of the most serious meningitis epidemic ever recorded in Nigeria. The epidemic took almost 12,000 lives over a six-month period, affected close to 110,000 people, and constituted a severe public health crisis for the government of Nigeria. Amongst all recorded cases, the fatality rate was as high as 20% in the first weeks, and eventually decreased
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Background 3-4
Ethical Dilemma 4-5
Situational Analysis 5-6
Stakeholder Analysis 6-7
Analysis Based on Ethical Theories 7-8
Conclusion and Recommendations 8-9
References 10
Drug Testing in Nigeria
Introduction
‘What if a drug company experimenting on critically ill children does not get the proper
Parental consent, 11 of those children die and a whistleblower is fired?’ (Perlroth. 2008)
This paper will discuss the issues caused by the actions taken by Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company. First, we will discuss the ethical dilemmas caused by the testing and identify the factors related to individuals involved; companies and managerial practices and policies, as well as factors that helped create the ethical dilemma. Then we will identify the stakeholders and discuss how the factors that cause the dilemma affect them. Third, we will analyze the ethical dilemma based on ethical theories. Finally, the paper will conclude with analyzing whether Pfizer took the right action and if not what action should have been taken.
Background
A group of Nigerian families has taken legal action against the pharmaceutical company, Pfizer. The lawsuit, which was filed in a US court, claims that the families' children were entered into a trial of Pfizer's Trovan (trovafioxacin) for bacterial meningitis in 1996 without informed consent. The families accuse the US-based drug company of violating "international law, federal regulations, and medical ethics, in its zeal to carry out its test" (Ahmad, 2001).
According to the Trovan Fact Sheet 1996 marked the beginning of the most serious meningitis epidemic ever recorded in Nigeria. The epidemic took almost 12,000 lives over a six-month period, affected close to 110,000 people, and constituted a severe public health crisis for the government of Nigeria. Amongst all recorded cases, the fatality rate was as high as 20% in the first weeks, and eventually decreased
References: Perlroth, N. (2008). Day of Reckoning. Forbes, 182(12), 66-68. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database. Ahmad, K. (2001). Drug company sued over research trial in Nigeria. Lancet, 358(9284), 815. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. (2008). COMPANY SPOTLIGHT -- Pfizer. PharmaWatch: Cancer, 7(11), 20-25. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). The Globalization of Clinical Trials: A Growing Challenge in protecting Human Subjects Stephen. (1996/97). Country Profile Nigeria, Economist Intelligence Unit (1999) Mokhiber, R. (2003). The Pfizer-Nigeria Case. Multinational Monitor, 24(11), 30. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.