Ethical Ethics In Pharmaceutical Industry

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Introduction In the health profession, pharmaceutical industry plays a significant role special y in area of sales and representatives. They are supposed to educate physicians about their company’s products and offer insights into novel and emergent therapies. In this way, they help doctors deliver quality care to the patients. The ethical performances of the pharmaceutical companies have just come under inquiry as never before. Things are changing now and pharmaceutical sales reps behave more as sales people rather educating and facilitating health care. Out of every 15,000 researched substances only one will ultimately become a medicine. Invention and discovery of any medicine or device happens after about fifteen years and approximately…show more content…
However, going forward, especially in a time of reintroduced focus on cost control, effective treatment patterns and health care organization, the exposure of unethical practices is unavoidable, and the drug business will be obliged to follow harsher guidelines or face solemn consequences. One of the off label drug used in the field of gynecology is TAMOXIFEN. This drug is used in breast cancer treatment but few physicians are using them for female fertility as some preliminary researches have proven its beneficial action on ovaries to produce ova. Medical representatives visit the gynecologist and show them the positive literature but do not tell them that it’s not yet approved by drug administration for this purpose. Another example is MISOPROTOL. The main use of this drug is treatment of peptic ulcers, but often found with quacks and midwives for off label use as an abortive agent to terminate…show more content…
Conflict of interest is a major ethical issue that challenges health care providers, and we must deal with this ethical issue in a professional way. Health care institutions should develop policies and regulations, and provide education to health care providers about this area. However, prescription patterns are still often influenced by drug companies through the provision of gifts, dinners, funding, and financial assistance, as well as travel for prescribing doctors and nurses, or accommodation at scientific meetings. Inexpensive gifts, limited hospitality, and travel sponsorship are acceptable, and our professional associations set out clear criteria. Professional codes of practice ban lavish gifts or inducements from pharmaceutical companies, and prohibit company representatives from offering them. Therefore, we should be aware of the Saudi professional codes of practice that require prescribers to put the patient‟s interest
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