Question

Methamphetamine (meth) is an addictive drug made chiefly in small toxic labs (STLs) in homes, tents, barns, or hotel rooms. The manufacturing process is dangerous and often results in explosions, burns, and toxic fumes. Government entities spend time and resources to find and destroy STLs, imprison meth dealers and users, treat addicts, and provide services for affected families. Meth cannot be made without ingredients that are also used in cold and allergy medications. Arkansas has one of the highest numbers of STLs in the United States. To recoup the costs of fighting the meth epidemic, twenty counties in Arkansas filed a suit against Pfizer, Inc., which makes cold and allergy medications. What is Pfizer's ethical responsibility here, and to whom is it owed? Why?

Answer 1

Pfizer's ethical responsibility resides in its obligation to manufacture the best quality products that will help aid its client's sicknesses and cause no side effects.

Regarding the used cold and allergy medications as ingredients for the production of methamphetamine, it is Pfizer's ethical responsibility to find a formula that alters the composition of these medications in order for them to not be used as inputs in STL's.

On the other hand, some medications which are taken to treat colds and allergies require the pharmacist in the store to require a customer to submit this medical order in order to buy the medication. It is the companies' commercial channels responsibility to enforce strict rules in order to prevent the growth of the use of these medications as inputs for methamphetamine.