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7320965 
Journal Article 
Scientific misconduct, the pharmaceutical industry, and the tragedy of institutions 
Cohen-Kohler, JC; Esmail, LC 
2007 
1 
Medicine and Law
ISSN: 0723-1393 
26 
3 
431-446 
English 
17970244 
This paper examines how current legislative and regulatory models do not adequately govern the pharmaceutical industry towards ethical scientific conduct. In the context of a highly profit-driven industry, governments need to ensure ethical and legal standards are not only in place for companies but that they are enforceable. We demonstrate with examples from both industrialized and developing countries how without sufficient controls, there is a risk that corporate behaviour will transgress ethical boundaries. We submit that there is a critical need for urgent drug regulatory reform. There must be robust regulatory structures in place which enforce corporate governance mechanisms to ensure that pharmaceutical companies maintain ethical standards in drug research and development and the marketing of pharmaceuticals. What is also needed is for the pharmaceutical industry to adopt authentic "corporate social responsibility" policies as current policies and practices are insufficient. 
Business ethics; Drug industry; Ethics; Pharmaceutical ethics; Pharmaceuticals; Scientific misconduct; acetylsalicylic acid; antiretrovirus agent; gabapentin; paroxetine; placebo; rofecoxib; rosiglitazone; trovafloxacin; zidovudine; article; cerebrovascular accident; clinical trial; commercial phenomena; developing country; drug approval; drug fatality; drug industry; drug information; drug legislation; drug marketing; drug research; drug safety; good manufacturing practice; government regulation; heart infarction; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; human rights abuse; industrialization; informed consent; international cooperation; major depression; medical ethics; meningitis; monotherapy; policy; postmarketing surveillance; practice guideline; profit; research subject; scientific misconduct; seizure; standardization; suicidal behavior; suicidal ideation; Canada; Codes of Ethics; Drug Industry; Government Regulation; Humans; Organizational Policy; Scientific Misconduct; Social Responsibility