Business Research Ethics
Cynthia Debose
RES/351
April 29, 2013
University of Phoenix
Dr. Julie Bonner

2. The article chosen from the University Library to evaluate the practice of unethical business research conduct is called Flacking for Big Pharma written by Harriet A. Washington. The article delves into the activities of “Big Pharma,” or the commercial pharmaceutical industry of the United States. In this article the author highlights some market strategies used by the industry, which suggest corrupt practices. The article criticizes the actions of the pharmaceutical industry beginning in the 1980s to the present, asserting that the industry compromises the integrity of the process of medical research and that it pressures consumers and doctors to use its products and that it falsifies data regarding the capabilities and dangers of its drugs (Harriet A. Washington, American Scholar, Summer 2011, vol. 80).
Drug makers do not just comprise doctors; they also undermine the top medical journals and skew the findings of medical research. Identifying unethical business research involved in this article is given. Evaluating the article will also show how unethical behavior affects the industry, injured party, and society. A proposition of how unethical behavior can be avoided is proposed.
The article is based on how pharmaceutical companies use medical research in medical journals and advertising (Washington H., 2011). Medical advertising has an influence on medical articles in medical journals along with supplying journals with financial support to keep publishing (Washington H., 2011). Health care professionals use medical journals when diagnosing and treating patients. This is not the only issue the article speaks about. Pharmaceutical companies also use techniques in the medical research of drugs to supply consumers with information that make bad drugs look appealing (Washington H., 2011).

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Pharmaceutical uses small groups, placebos, and only test using minimal and maximum doses (Washington H., 2011). This type of research only allows the drugs to be tested against benefiting variables for the drug. The statistics that were provided for research for medical articles, the unethical boundaries were breached. Because unethical boundaries were breached some pharmaceutical companies are experiencing tried and pending lawsuits.
The parties involved in the article are healthcare professionals, patients, and pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical companies provide the medical research to prescribing healthcare professionals’. Because of the unethical and inaccurate research provided by pharmaceutical companies shows the effect to the drug gives healthcare professionals the wrong information to prescribe along to his or her patients.
Consumers experience the biggest loss because using the wrong drug and doses can lead to other illnesses as well as death.
Unethical behavior also has an effect on the industry, injured party, and society. The industry is affected because of the unreliability of new drugs put on the market. Because of issues in the past concerning unethical practices in medical research, healthcare professionals have become reluctant to use products. The pharmaceutical industry loses its reputation and profit because of the unethical practices companies use. Patients and their families are affected because he or she can no longer have a normal life due to developed illnesses or death. This places a hardship on family members creating financial instability.

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The effect on society comes in when new drugs are not developed to help with illnesses because of past experiences, and if developed healthcare professionals do not want to prescribe the drug because it can result in a lawsuit, and society is trying to become a healthier community but is having a hard time because there is no trust in pharmaceutical companies.
To prevent unethical behavior by pharmaceutical companies a law should be enacted that set some guidelines and standards concerning pharmaceutical practices in medical research. These guidelines can include how many different research analyses should be performed before a drug can be marketed along with information that must be given to consumers when he or she is prescribe the medication. There should also be a regulatory agency appointed to make sure the pharmaceutical companies follow the new guidelines along with imposing consequences for companies who fail to comply with the guidelines. This will prevent pharmaceutical companies from indulging in unethical research practices.
In conclusion the article chosen concerning unethical business research was Flacking for Big Pharma: Drug Makers Don’t Just Compromise Doctors: They Also Undermine the Top Medical Journals and Skew the Findings of Medical Research. The article analyzed the ethical research practices performed by pharmaceutical companies and the consequences of this action. The involved parties were the healthcare professionals, patients, and the pharmaceutical companies.

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References
Washington, Harriet A. (2011). Flacking for Big Pharma: Drug Makers Don’t Just Compromise Doctors; They Also Undermine the Top Medical Journals and Skew the Findings of Medical Research. (Cover story), American Scholar, 80(3), 22, Retrieved from ebscohost. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.edu