2. THE PROBLEM
Should Priya Kapoor report the side effects of a competitors drug to
the regulatory authorities?
The information came from her friend – Rohit Kapoor who handles
the drug trials of the competitor
3. EVIDENCE
Medizen working on a breakthrough drug for a rare disease
Competitor company working on a similar drug for the same disease
Rohit Kapoor – Priya’s friend in charge of drug trials
Rohit narrates severe side effects during the trial to Priya
The law requires reporting of side effects – but the competitor may
not be reporting the side effects – potentially endangering patient
lives
Priya’s dilemma – whether to report the side effects or not
Two previous companies – one that did not report the side effects, and the other
that did – both got into trouble
4. EVIDENCE
Conflict areas
Medizen can benefit if competitors drug side effects are reported
Reporting can lead to Priya losing her friendship with Rohit
Patient lives could be saved if side effects reported – but the drug is supposedly for
a rare disease and very few will be effected
Reporting could lead to severe problems for the competitor – maybe even closing
down business
Medizen executives may initially be happy, but later on would they develop a
distrust of Priya considering her a threat to maybe some confidential information
that even Medizen may have
There’s also the confidence of the public in the pharmaceutical industry which may
be diminished if a drug with side effects is released
5. ANALYSIS
Reporting will save lives, not reporting will lead to loss of lives
Rohits friendship will be lost if Priya reports it, but saving lives is
more important than Rohit’s friendship
The medicine is for a rare disease, but however rare and however few
patients are affected, lives will be lost unnecessarily – and that should
not be acceptable to Priya.
Reporting, or not reporting the side effects will in all probability put
the competitors business in trouble any which way. Threrefore Priya
need not feel morally responsible if the competitors business is
affected due to the reporting.
Medizine will benefit from the reporting, but Priya’s motivation is not
necessarily driven by helping Medizen, but to do the right thing – and