Now that you have identified the trending and possible ethical concerns for your business, it is time to hold an HR training meeting! This week you are going to create an “Internal Memo” that is going to be sent out to all employees and administrators urging them to attend the upcoming mandatory HR meeting. Your letter must be a minimum of one page and include the following attributes:Reason behind the meetingDate, time and location of the meetingRepercussions for not attending the meetingOptions if you have an emergency and cannot attend the meetingUrge/Persuade everyone to be presentOutline what you will be discussing during the meeting/the concept being the meeting.These elements can be in any order but must be present for full credit on the assignment. This paper is not required to be in APA formatting and should not include citations or quotes of any kind. You may use an available memo template, such as a template that can be found in Microsoft Word.Please reference 3 prior submissions on this course projectThank you
creative_issues.doc
trending_issues.docx
name_your_company.docx
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Running Head: CREATIVE ISSUES
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Introduction. In my previous discussion, I touched on the current ethical concerns in the
pharmaceutical business. Among the ethical concerns discussed was an inaccurate description
of drugs or medications. This refers to a situation where a pharmaceutical firm’s description
of specific drugs differs for the actual compositions of the drugs being described. This raises
an ethical concern because the medicines may not produce the specified results. Another
ethical issue in the industry discussed in my previous submission was the production of fake
or counterfeit drugs. This issue is likely to arise in situations where there are other companies
producing similar drugs. Inappropriate waste disposal methods are the last ethical issue
discussed in my earlier submission. When pharmaceutical firms do not have strategies for
disposal of wastes, they end up harming not only people in society but also the environment.
An issue like this may result in legal battles. This submission will further discuss three other
ethical concerns that are overlooked in the pharmaceutical industry and how they might affect
the company I work for.
Unethical Marketing. This refers to the practice of pharmaceutical companies
boosting sales using unethical means. While the pharmaceutical industry is committed to
innovation in the field of medicine, new findings indicate that the funds spend in research and
development are insignificant compared to funds spent on marketing. Most of the marketing
strategies they use are questionable because their unethical nature could harm patients
(Ahmed & Jalees, 2008). To promote the prescription of newer drugs, for instance,
pharmaceutical firms use strategies such as giving free drug samples, sponsoring medical
education, among others. While these actions may seem to be harmless, the prescription of
newer untested drugs can be dangerous, yet many companies engage in the same.
Drug Trafficking. Drug trafficking is a significant concern in the pharmaceutical
industry although many companies turn a blind eye to it. Too many pharmaceutical
CREATIVE ISSUES
companies out there, illicit medications are big business for them because it generates a lot of
profit for them (Bian, 1997). However, the effects of this practice are far-reaching and multifaced. For instance, drug trafficking threatens the health security if the illicit drugs are
introduced into the formal market. This, therefore, raises an ethical concern that Lake
Regional Medical may have to deal with in the future. Drug trafficking can have extreme
economic consequences because it robs the government of revenue, which is used to fund
government projects (Bian, 1997). A company that is discovered to be engaging in the
practice may have its license revoked, and legal action was taken against it.
Issue Related to Social and Moral Responsibility. This is one of the most pressing
concerns in the industry. Questions have always been asked on whether pharmaceuticals
should be bound by moral and social responsibilities such as investing in the development of
new drugs or medications, and if they should avail medicines at affordable prices for
humanitarian reasons (Leisinger, 2005). As it is, specific enticements are currently being
provided to pharmaceutical companies so that they can keep their costs low. In exchange for
the new drugs they introduce in the market, the pharmaceutical firms are given patent
protection. In my opinion, this kind of arrangement is entirely unethical because if these
incentives were to be removed, patients who cannot afford to buy medications will suffer and
even die. This is one ethical issue that not only the company I work but also other
pharmaceuticals may have to deal with in the future because the moment the public learns
that profits are put ahead of human lives, a company’s reputation is ruined.
Conclusion. To be able to avoid the ethical concerns discussed above, Lake Regional
Medical needs to come up with strategies and policies for addressing these issues if they ever
arise. This may involve coming up with an Ethics Department to continually be assessing
company operations that may raise ethical concerns and come up with strategies for
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CREATIVE ISSUES
addressing them. Any business corporation that wants to survive in the market must always
abide by ethical worries if it is to win public trust.
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CREATIVE ISSUES
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References
Ahmed, R. R., & Jalees, T. (2008). Pharmaceutical Industry in Pakistan: Unethical
Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices. Market Forces, 4(2).
Bian, T. R. (1997). The Drug Lords: America’s Pharmaceutical Cartel. No Barriers Pub..
Leisinger, K. M. (2005). The corporate social responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry:
idealism without illusion and realism without resignation. Business Ethics Quarterly,
15(4), 577-594.
Running head: TRENDING ISSUES
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Introduction
Lake Regional Medical manufactures and distributes medical products across the United
States. Amongst the major medical products distributed by the company include antibiotics, antifungal, and painkillers. The company is envisioned to be the leading manufacturer and
distributor of pharmaceutical drugs in the United States. However, attaining this rank is a
difficult task for the company. This difficulty results from the various ethical issues likely to
affect drug manufacturing companies. Being a sensitive sector, drug manufacturing and
distribution industry can face severe ethical challenges that may ruin the reputation and even
change the financial performance of a particular company. This discussion describes three major
ethical issues or concerns that may face Lake Regional Medical Corporation as it continues with
its production and distribution activities.
Inflated Product Claims
Making inaccurate descriptions about the effectiveness of a drug may raise concerns by
users. Lake Regional Medical Cooperation may face ethical challenges if the drug ingredients
descriptions fail to correspond to the actual composition of particular medications. This may be
evident if a specific drug is found not to produce the desired results when administered on
patients. The medical conditions that drugs treat require to be approved by the Foods and Drugs
Administration. This is achieved by the process known as drug ‘label’ or ‘indication,’ which is
essential is a requirement by the FDA that drug manufacturers restrict their products only as
approved by the body. In the case where a drug is prescribed to treat numerous conditions, and
some of the conditions indicated have not been approved by the FDA, then the action becomes a
violation of the ethical requirements by the FDA (Nussbaum, 2016). The offense is known as an
TRENDING ISSUES
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off-label and does not conform to the requirements by the federal legislation. Despite the fact
that physicians often prescribe off-label drug use to their patients, the federal law and the False
Claim Act restricts them from the practice. Lake Regional Medical Corporation may end up
battling legal suits against the violation of product claims acts on their drugs, and this may raise
tremendous ethical concerns regarding the issue.
Counterfeit
Lake Regional Medical Corporation stands at a higher risk of accusations for producing
counterfeit drug products. The allegations may result from inaccurate use of ingredients in
correspondence to the labeling of the drug products. Improper labeling may be termed as
counterfeit because the outward physical description does not reflect the internal components of
the antibiotics, the painkillers or the anti-fungal drugs. Counterfeit accusations against the
company may also be triggered by competitors who produce medicines that are similar in
appearance to those produced by Lake Regional Medicine to make sales (Nussbaum, 2016).
Such imitation creates confusion for the pharmacies and users of the drugs. When investigations
are conducted, the famous company, which is Lake Regional Medicine, maybe the fight target.
The allegations can raise ethical concerns leading to the ruining of the company’s image. The
counterfeit issue equally violates the safety aspect of drug use. As such, when the health of the
patients becomes compromised, the manufacturer companies become targeted by the relevant
authorities (Santoro & Gorrie, 2015). Lake Regional Medicine should ensure that it places
measures that would prevent any association of the company’s products with counterfeit
products.
TRENDING ISSUES
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Waste Disposal
Manufacturing companies have faced accusations on the issue of improper waste
disposal. The waste disposal subsequently harms the environment and its occupants. As a drug
manufacturing company, Lake Regional Medical Corporation deals with many chemicals. The
unprocessed may harm the living organisms if left to fall on land or in the air for lack of proper
disposal management. Expired chemicals and drugs are also very harmful to human and animal
health, and when left to fall on land or fume in the air, the results can negatively affect the health
of people and raise ethical questions. Ethical concerns regarding the improper management of
waste disposal is a crucial factor for companies to consider (Santoro & Gorrie,
2015). Businesses have been accused of harming the environment by letting the wastes into
rivers and which puts residents’ lives at threat. Lake Regional Medical should make efforts to
ensure that their waste disposal techniques do not become harmful to the environment because
the action can affect the image and performance of the company.
Conclusion
Lake Regional Medical should be ready and prepared to address the drawbacks of its
operations, which may likely result from the violation of ethical standards set by the federal
government. To maintain the ethical standards, the corporation should devise a unit for ethical
guidelines that will be entitled to check aspects of the company activities that may place it at a
negative moral position. As the company strives to be amongst the best pharmaceutical
manufacturers in the United States, the need to monitor ethical moves and standards is crucial for
attaining success. The three ethical issues are continuing to trend in the pharmaceutical sector
TRENDING ISSUES
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and any company that requires achieving a top-level in rendering drugs to the public to uphold to
the standards.
TRENDING ISSUES
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References
Nussbaum, A. S. K. (2016). Ethical corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the pharmaceutical
industry: A happy couple?. Journal of Medical Marketing, 9(1), 67-76.
Santoro, M. A., & Gorrie, T. M. (2015). Ethics and the pharmaceutical industry. Cambridge
University Press.
Running head: NAME YOUR COMPANY
My company is called Lake Regional Medical. As the name suggests, the operations of the
company are centered on the manufacturing and distribution of medical products such as
antibiotics, pain killers, and anti-fungal in the United States. The vision of the company is to be
the leading manufacturer and distributor of medical products in the United States. The company
is, therefore, defied in the health care industry of the United States, and its operations are within
the borders of the United States. The company can be described as a corporation because it is
registered as a separate legal entity that is owned by a total of five shareholders. The
shareholders also have the final say on how the company is to be managed and their influence is
proportional to the fraction of shares they hold. The company also works in close corporation
with hospital facilities, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers across the United States. The
company also has a program where it works in close partnership with colleges Concerning
internship programs and research.
The company also has a total of nine hundred employees distributed in a total of twentyfive outlets strategically established in various states in the country. The company has been
operation since 1974 and has maintained an annual revenue of approximately $ 120000000.
Since 1974, the company has been faced with several legal issues such as counterfeit drugs,
where an anonymous company was distributing pharmaceutical products in the United States
under the name of Lake Regional Medical. The other legal complaint that was lodged against the
company was an alleged distribution of expired drugs, which was perpetrated by some of the
company’s contracted middlemen.
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