Merck Ethics Essay

In developing a dose to combat river blindness, pharmaceutical party Merck discovered an opportunity to treat millions of alter throngs around the world that probably would never see commercial use. The medicate in development, ivermectin, was unaffordable to the primary victims of river blindness, Third World peoples. Thus, Dr. Vagelos, the head of research at the time, treaded upon a ethical quagmire he could either choose to rubbish the drug and its further research or he could spend millions to a greater extent on a drug destined for financial failure.In consistency with Mercks company direction at the time, Dr. Vagelos understood that the purpose of the company was to serve people and that profits result from the fulfillment of this primary purpose. As such, Dr. Vagelos not only pushed for further research on the drug, but trenchant when he became CEO to offer the drug, now Mectizan, for unblock to all abnormal individuals.Dr. Vagelos finality fulfills all four of Fle mings principles of ethics. In general, his decision reflects Flemings definition of ethics, which is a standpoint from which all persons have a special dignity or worth. The pick to make the drug available for free is utilitarian, as the consider of affected individuals worldwide greatly outweigh the number of negatively impacted stockholders.In doing so, Dr. Vagelos choice also illustrates his belief that people are entitled to the right of human racee treatment by others. Similarly, his choice reveals every persons obligation to protect and ensure these rights. Dr. Vagelos decision is also just and fair, in that all members of a group (in this case, the human race) are to be treated with equal benefits.