Case study paper, Corruption of Science by Pharmaceutical Companies

Appendix C   Case Study    TOPIC: Corruption of Science by Pharmaceutical Companies                                                         

Assessment Criteria   

For your Business Ethics course you will review, assess and report the ethical dilemma in a real business situation. Your case 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 class. 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 transparent to those outside the specific enterprise?

2.    B>What behavior was highly unethical? I expect you to describe a singular breach of ethical conduct. 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.

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.

1. C>What were 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.  

All case studies should be 2 or 3 pages.  Answer each of the 3 questions. The majority of words should address question 2, behaviors. The layout is single spaced paragraph(s) for each of the 3 steps. Cite your sources. One source is not enough. Eight sources are probably too many.  Please put your name on the page (s). BRING YOUR REPORT TO CLASS!

Grading criteria is for 20 points. Your Case Study is worth 15 points. I will use the percentage earned to convert 20 point scale to 15 point scale.

Grading and Writing Rubric:

¼ point increments will be awarded. For example 2.75 structure points indicates enough disorganization and sentence structure problems to warrant a C grade.