How often have you ever witnessed a doctor hand someone a pack of cigarettes and say, "Smoke two, and call me in the morning?" The tobacco industry is infamous for its power to silence people and for selling products that eventually lead to death. Unfortunately, there is a parallel in the pharmaceutical world. Business and ethics have long been conflicting priorities in a world of globalization and capitalism. A multibillion dollar enterprise can make a substantial profit by misinforming the American public and allegedly murdering children in Nigeria. With products promoted to help people and putting money in doctor's pockets, Pfizer, one of the biggest companies in the world, (total assets from 2007 were about $10.562 billion) has become very well protected. They are represented by the best legal team resources can buy and for any unfavorable settlements federal governments such as the US or Nigeria will happily accumulate wealth through lawsuits.
Pfizer has a history of exploitive business practices. In May 2007, The Washington Post reported that Pfizer could face criminal charges for activities that occurred in Nigeria in 1996. Eleven children died as a result of a clinical trial of the drug Trovan. It was allegedly administered without parental consent to treat meningitis. According to the Post,"Nigeria's health minister appointed a panel of experts...the panel had concluded Pfizer's actions violated Nigerian law, the International Declaration of Helsinki and the UN Convention on the Rights of the child." Criminal charges have been dropped as a result of an out of court settlement paid to the Nigerian government for $75 million. These reparations trade hands from a large corporation to a group of government officials but not to the families of the victims or the many children who survived the test drug with severe side effects. Justice is absent under a system where businesses can pay off a government and all the past offenses against citizens are wiped clean.
Aside from deceiving children in third-world countries, Pfizer was just fined for targeting the American public, as well. The US Government fined the pharmaceutical company $2.3 billion for selling drugs for reasons and at dosages not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Sue Lannin for The World Today reported,"Pfizer paid the fines to settle criminal and civil allegations that it illegally sold four drugs not approved by the FDA." Interesting to note that a company is eliminating a consumer's choice to be a test subject for experimental medication. John Kopchinski, a former Pfizer employee and a Gulf War veteran brought to light ethical problems he encountered as a sales representative. "...I was expected to increase profits at all costs, even when sales meant endangering lives. " It is evident that Pfizer is willing to disregard the lives of the consumers it claims to be committed to saving. When profits are the sole motivation for medicine and not the ideology of helping people it might be time to educate consumers in the same way cigarette companies have been mandated to.
During the recent court hearings on Nigeria's lawsuit, Judge Wesley wrote, "I conclude that non-consensual medical experimentation by private actors, though deplorable, is not actionable under international law." What legal action should be taken to fix a system that does not allow irresponsible behavior to be reprimanded? With the increasing size of the company and the new deal to buy Wyeth, a competitor, they continue to grow as a company that has a serious problem with acting ethically. Out of court settlements allow money to be exchanged despite clear demonstrations of inhumane behavior. Fines and settlements permit inexcusable violations of human rights. It is time that those responsible be charged with and tried for the crimes they commit; then and only then will corporate behavior be effectively transformed. Less offenses against human rights will occur when CEOs and high-paid execs have standing criminal charges and must serve time in jail.
Pfizer has a history of exploitive business practices. In May 2007, The Washington Post reported that Pfizer could face criminal charges for activities that occurred in Nigeria in 1996. Eleven children died as a result of a clinical trial of the drug Trovan. It was allegedly administered without parental consent to treat meningitis. According to the Post,"Nigeria's health minister appointed a panel of experts...the panel had concluded Pfizer's actions violated Nigerian law, the International Declaration of Helsinki and the UN Convention on the Rights of the child." Criminal charges have been dropped as a result of an out of court settlement paid to the Nigerian government for $75 million. These reparations trade hands from a large corporation to a group of government officials but not to the families of the victims or the many children who survived the test drug with severe side effects. Justice is absent under a system where businesses can pay off a government and all the past offenses against citizens are wiped clean.
Aside from deceiving children in third-world countries, Pfizer was just fined for targeting the American public, as well. The US Government fined the pharmaceutical company $2.3 billion for selling drugs for reasons and at dosages not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Sue Lannin for The World Today reported,"Pfizer paid the fines to settle criminal and civil allegations that it illegally sold four drugs not approved by the FDA." Interesting to note that a company is eliminating a consumer's choice to be a test subject for experimental medication. John Kopchinski, a former Pfizer employee and a Gulf War veteran brought to light ethical problems he encountered as a sales representative. "...I was expected to increase profits at all costs, even when sales meant endangering lives. " It is evident that Pfizer is willing to disregard the lives of the consumers it claims to be committed to saving. When profits are the sole motivation for medicine and not the ideology of helping people it might be time to educate consumers in the same way cigarette companies have been mandated to.
During the recent court hearings on Nigeria's lawsuit, Judge Wesley wrote, "I conclude that non-consensual medical experimentation by private actors, though deplorable, is not actionable under international law." What legal action should be taken to fix a system that does not allow irresponsible behavior to be reprimanded? With the increasing size of the company and the new deal to buy Wyeth, a competitor, they continue to grow as a company that has a serious problem with acting ethically. Out of court settlements allow money to be exchanged despite clear demonstrations of inhumane behavior. Fines and settlements permit inexcusable violations of human rights. It is time that those responsible be charged with and tried for the crimes they commit; then and only then will corporate behavior be effectively transformed. Less offenses against human rights will occur when CEOs and high-paid execs have standing criminal charges and must serve time in jail.
