Merck Ethics Essay

In developing a do do drugss to attack river blindness, pharmaceutical confederation Merck discovered an hazard to treat millions of affected piles around the world that probably would never see technical use. The drug in development, ivermectin, was unaffordable to the primary victims of river blindness, tercet World peoples. Thus, Dr. Vagelos, the head of research at the time, treaded upon a ethical quagmire he could either choose to scrap the drug and its further research or he could spend millions more on a drug destined for financial failure.In accordance with Mercks company precaution at the time, Dr. Vagelos understood that the purpose of the company was to serve people and that profits core from the fulfillment of this primary purpose. As such, Dr. Vagelos not only pushed for further research on the drug, but decided when he became chief executive officer to offer the drug, now Mectizan, for free to solely affected individuals.Dr. Vagelos decision fulfills both l ast(predicate) four-spot of Flemings principles of ethics. In general, his decision reflects Flemings definition of ethics, which is a standpoint from which all persons have a special haughtiness or worth. The choice to make the drug available for free is utilitarian, as the issue forth of affected individuals worldwide greatly surpass the number of negatively impacted stockholders.In doing so, Dr. Vagelos choice also illustrates his belief that people are entitled to the right of humanistic treatment by others. Similarly, his choice reveals every persons obligation to entertain and ensure these rights. Dr. Vagelos decision is also provided and fair, in that all members of a base (in this case, the human race) are to be interact with equal benefits.