Ethical dilemna, what to do?

You are a managing clinical research pharmacist employed by a large teaching hospital and university located in the Midwest. You work in a lab where the head researcher, Dr. blake, is world renowned for his expertise on cardiac drugs. For the last year, you have been working on a project collecting data on patients’ absorption and metabolism of two digoxin products in conjunction with a study grant from huey’s Bathtub Generics Company. This grant generates $1,000,000 per year for the hospital and University and entirely funds the salaries of yourself and three lab technicians in addition to all of the overhead costs associated with the study. As the lab manager, you are handsomely compensated at the rate of $150,000 per year plus benefits and fringes. One of the fringes is stock options whereby you will be awarded stock in huey’s company worth over $500,000 if the study results meet the goals of the study. You get nothing and your job will be eliminated at the end of the study period

Ethical dilemna, what to do?
Ok, I think I understand your question.





You are saying that basically, you are responsible for studying these drugs (medicines) and how they react in people's bodies. In addition to being paid very well, you may also receive $500,000 if your study does indeed find what the grantmakers are hoping to find---meaning that they are hoping the drug is great %26amp; wonderful, and they in turn will make a great amount of money, and so will you.





Ok--thats a great question--because its a very deep and powerful question about ethics. And since I've personally been in a very similar situation after working with a powerful pharmaceutical company--I can help answer you:





The bottom line is this: The research you are doing has NOTHING to do with You, the Grantmakers, or the Lwho employs you. Right now, all of you are blinded by money, yourselves, and your own self interests. In reality, the decision that you make about this is a powerful test--will determine the very makeup of your soul.





Let me repeat--this all has NOTHING to do with that BMW you drive (or will drive), the expensive home with marble floors, or the vacation to Tahiti that you want to make. Those things are all material, and if you are talented, any job can give you those things. What this project is about--what this really is about--is the People. This about your fellow mankind, the people in your family, friends, and those you meet in your daily travels. If you discover things about this medicine you are studying--for example-that it really does not absorb well in the body, or that it really does not prevent heart attacks--what you are doing is causing death %26amp; harm to innocent people and your onw family members. This means that your next door neighbor --for example--may die of a heart attack next year--because you have decided to not be honest about this study. You might think your "reports" about this drug has nothing to do with other people--but right now you have the power to cause either great harm or great good to your fellow man. Innnocent people can--and will--die if you are dishonest about this medicine. And even if you are not studying medicine directly--your studies will have a powerful impact on how certain medicines are presrecibed or designed--and that will directly affect human life.





In the short term, you many gain a mansion, more cars, and more trips--but you will have lost your very soul. And the funny thing about life is that what goes around---somehow manages to always come back around. Meaning that 8, 9, 10 years from now--you may have a little daughter or granddaughter whom you love dearly. And one day, she will be riding in a car-seat that was poorly designed by a technician who was looking to make a quick dollar. And, suddenly, your daughter or grandbaby dies in a car accident because the technician didnt want to report all the flaws in the design so that the car company would pay him well. Would that be fair? No. Could it happen? Yes.





The reason why the earth is in such dis-order is because of people who are in positions of power just like yourselves. And suddenly, the find they have to choose between doing the right thing and helping mankind--or doing wrong and hurting mankind. Thats why we have arsenice %26amp; lead in our drinking water; thats the reason why gas companies charge $4 for a gallon of gas. Its because of people who only want to get richer and richer. They dont care or realize that pregnant women who drink lead-filled water will have diabled babies, and they dont care that children will die in house-fires because their parents couldnt afford to heat their homes in the winter so they used electric heaters that caught fires...Life boils down to people in power either doing the right thing, or the wrong thing.





You have to choose between right and wrong; good and evil right now. This will define your life. I can only hope and pray that my 75 year old grandfather whom I love dearly will not be prescribed any of the medicines your research team will falsely proclaim is wonderful when its not. I can only hope and pray you will do the right thing--and hope that you will "seek ye first the kingdom", before you seek all these riches that at the moment, are more important than human life to many people in power...You may think you will not be rewarded for doing the right thing. And maybe you will lose out on all this money you wanted so badly--and maybe all those grantmakers will be upset. But, there's a higher power and higher reward that defines us.





Well, the ball is in your court. Good luck.





(Please read about a man who was once in a similar situation as yours. The scenery is different; but the plot is the same)
Reply:Are you saying that if the study is contrary the goals of the study, you get nothing?





Having worked 6 years for Merck, I can tell you that if you have been raised with honesty and integrity, you will tell the truth no matter what.





If you were raised with modern American morality, you will say nothing and protect your lifestyle.
Reply:Yet another example of CORPORATE GREED.


Remember the big tobacco company studies, trials and litigation?


Same thing. People are still dying because of all these "big money" cover-ups.
Reply:If I understand this correctly , you need to decide on which end of the spectrum you wish to work.....Sounds like you are rewarded nicely but once it's done it's done. ......Sounds like Doc Blake knows nothing of your side work? Choose duder.Whats more important money or loyalty.
Reply:I did not understand the last sentence. but i would take the job.
Reply:I'm assuming you left out the word 'otherwise' at the beginning of your last sentence.





There is no dilemma. If you are engaged in clinical research on a drug with major health implications for numerous people, your ethical obligation is to the facts, not to your own financial ambitions.





Now tell me you didn't already know the answer to this question.
Reply:Just tell the truth. Whatever the findings. That is the bottom line.