Question

4. Assess the motivations of drug companies that do their testing overseas. Do you think test subjects are being exploited or taken advantage of? Under what circumstances, if any, are companies morally justified in testing overseas?

business ethics chapter case 5.2 drug delimas

Answer 1

4.

Drug companies, opting overseas places for their testing have different motivations to do so. The first motivation is the cost of conducting test and management of negative consequences of the test. These aspects of testing are far easier to manage by these drug companies in the overseas, making them move to the overseas for their testing requirements. If they do it in their own home country, then it will be very expensive, and may face litigation also. The second motivation is the friendliness and suitability of overseas government policy that becomes a motivation for the drug companies to going overseas for testing. It includes, providing facilities, providing test subjects and making a favorable environment where the drug companies can work without worrying about the negative consequences. The third motivation is the availability of cheap test subjects that can be ready to get tests that can have hugely negative impact. So, these are the motivations for these drug companies to go overseas for testing.

When the laws and regulations of home country of drug companies are considered, then it can be observed that test subjects are being leveraged and companies are paying very less or no money to them. It means they are being taken for advantages by the drug companies. Hence, from ethical perspective, it is not morally right. Though, local laws are followed by these drug companies and test subjects are also aware of the local laws, despite drug companies may not tell them all the facts regarding test.

In a circumstance , when a country is suffering from the specific disease and drugs companies want to develop vaccines , but wants to test in that country itself, then it is morally justified. It is due to the reason that it will help companies get test results that is more specific to the country suffering from the endemic problem. The second circumstance is the need and urgency of drugs to cure disease, then it justifies the drug companies can go overseas for the testing. It is going to benefit the human kind at large. The third circumstance is drug companies allowing the country government to get the formula and produce its generic version to treat their own people. If it happens, then testing in that specific country is morally justified.