Page 7 - Phissons Ethics Dilemma

Its value lay in that it not only alleviated the symptoms of asthma but it also helped

develop prolonged resistance to recurring episodes.

Michael Blackthorn was in his office when he received an urgent request from his chief

research officer for an immediate meeting.

Some twenty minutes later Kline, the CRO arrived and turned Blackthorn’s life upside

down by posing a moral dilemma that would challenge him both as a man and as a

corporate executive.

Kline: “We got the research wrong we were looking at the short term –

three years, but after five years deaths will start to occur!”

Blackthorn: “Statistically, are the numbers of deaths within acceptable industry

standards?”

Kline: “YES”

Blackthorn immediately called an extraordinary board meeting where he informed the

board that their new drug would statistically result in the deaths of young children some

five years after its introduction.

Proxydychromil was due to be launched in just over six weeks so a decision on the way

forward had to be arrived at.