Question

Olaf, an executive with pharma product distribution, inc., has to decide whether to market a product that might have undesirable side effects for a small percentage of users. how should olaf decide whether to sell the product? how does the standard of ethics that is applied affect this answer?

Answer 1

When a corporate executive has to decide whether to market a product hat might have undesirable side effects for a small percentage of users but that would be beneficial for most user, the decision turns on the benefit to the many versus the harm to the few. Of course, all possible precautions should be taken to protect the few. A more specific answer depends in part of which system or ethics is applied. From a utilitarian perspective, under a cost-benefit analysis, if the product were sold, it could benefit the greatest number of persons-future and current employees, as well as shareholders, and most consumers, If there was "bad" publicity, and ti was adverse enough to reduce sales, however, more persons could benefit from the decision not to market the product.