Is Merck a socially responsible company with this concern on treating river blindness defend your answer?
Merck was obliged under the corporate social responsibility to develop the drug. The impact of the disease to patients was overwhelming that it led to suicide and blindness. It would be inhumane to neglect the discovery because it lacked a potential market.
What was the ethical dilemma that Merck and Company faced?
Moser. The ethical dilemma in Merck and River Blindness is whether to pursue research that may or may result in profit, or to choose the safe option and go for profit rather than researching the drug. The drug could possibly lead to curing the deadly and detrimental disease known as River Blindness.
Why did the officials at Merck finally decide to produce the river blindness medicine even though it seemed unlikely that they would recoup their investment?
Dr. Vagelos said Merck decided to make the drug, Mectizan (known generically as ivermectin), available without charge because those who need it the most could not afford to pay for it. Taken orally, the drug paralyzes and sterilizes the parasitic worm that causes the illness, Merck officials said.
How Merck & Co Inc a US drug company dealt with the issue of river blindness?
In 1987, Merck committed to donate Mectizan – as much as needed, for as long as needed – with the goal to help eliminate river blindness.
Is Merck socially responsible?
“At Merck, we embrace our responsibility to be a force for good in the world – not only through our medicines and vaccines but also through our broader actions to address systemic inequities and to create an environment where all people are valued and respected.”
Is Merck an ethical company?
The company claims employee advancement opportunities within MSD are influenced by their level of commitment to ethics and integrity. The company has a dedicated Business Partner Code of Conduct, which is based on its own Code of Conduct as well as industry principles and the Principles of the UN Global Compact.
Is Merck unethical?
Merck’s misconduct includes… It’s also an enormous black eye for Merck, whose activities the judge said consisted of “systematic and outrageous deception in conjunction with unethical business practices and litigation misconduct.” But the case does more than raise questions about the integrity of a huge corporation.
What is meant by river blindness?
Onchocerciasis – or “river blindness” – is a parasitic disease caused by the filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus transmitted by repeated bites of infected blackflies (Simulium spp.).
Is ivermectin used for river blindness?
Ivermectin, the only drug currently in use, distributed annually to entire communities living in endemic areas, has significantly reduced river blindness, but the global campaign to eliminate the disease requires also more effective drugs.
Should the Merck Mectizan donation program serve as a model for other pharmaceutical companies?
The researchers also believe that the public-private partnership forged by Merck through the Mectizan Donation Program should serve as a model for other companies and aid organizations seeking to prevent and treat other illnesses worldwide, such as AIDS and malaria.
What is Merck’s mission statement?
Mission. To discover, develop and provide innovative products and services that save and improve lives around the world.
What is Merck river blindness?
Merck and River Blindness Essay. Onchocerciasis, known as river blindness, is caused by parasitic worms that live in the small black flies that breed in and about fast-moving rivers in developing countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The disease, if untreated causes extreme discomfort and eventually, blindness.
Does Merck’s “People First” Vision Impact shareholders and investors?
Merck shareholders and investors may or may not share the company’s “people first” vision. For this group, the impact must be looked at in light of how the development of a drug (that will most likely be given away for free) affects the return on their investment.
Is Merck investing in research a good idea?
Merck is supposed to invest in research activities that improve the well being of its customers. The River blindness drug was developed for a market segment outside its positioning. Research incurs costs that reduce shareholder earnings.
What is the Merck’s dilemma?
Situational analysis Merck’s dilemma was that it was the only company with the drug to cure river blindness disease before it reaches an advanced stage. When the disease reaches the blindness stage, it is impossible to restore sight. Those at risk are unlikely to afford the full cost of the drug.