Introduction
The case of Big Pharma
“Big Pharma” has been facing issues with its controversial marketing, advertising, and sales techniques (Carroll, 2010). The industry’s off-label marketing practices, failure of full disclosure on bad news about products, and undue influence on doctor’s prescription decisions are just a few of the many unethical business practices that have come to light. These have resulted in many believing that companies in the gargantuan pharmaceutical industry have neglected, and perhaps even abandoned, science for salesmanship (Herper and Langreth, 2006).
Although the public acknowledges value in the drugs available through pharmaceutical providers, the corporate social responsibilities (CSR) and business ethicality of the industry has been compromised and questioned (Gorrie and Santoro, 2005). Furthermore, the increasing complicity and costs of health care have only served to add strain to the public’s ability to empathise with criticism targeting the industry. Such negative perceptions fuelled by the unscrupulous marketing strategies pharmaceutical companies employ has hampered reasonable progress in the industry (Archie, 2009).
…show more content…
Extending from their definition and placing it in the business context, their definition of business ethics is the application of general ethical ideas to business behaviour.
This essay documents my key analysis points with regards to Carroll’s (2010) case on “Big Pharma’s Marketing Tactics”. It will provide an insight into the major issues and implications of this case that are pertinent in the business, government and society (BGS) context, particularly pertaining to business