PM360.com Ethics 360 Column for Panorama

Copyright 2012, 2013 by David Perlman, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved

Myths of Morality

In this column, I will discuss several myths of ethical decision-making. Lets start with a basic assump&on. Most people dont wake up in the morning and decide, I want to be unethical. Unless we have psycho- or sociopathic tendencies, people are just not wired that way. How then do we explain the great number of ethical lapses that have occurred within our industry? They sow distrust and have created a public percep*on that Pharma is a morally corrupt enterprise? Future columns will explore answers to this ques.on, but first lets tackle the myths.

The first myth is that ethics is about whats right and whats wrong. Just like most people dont wake up and want to do something unethical, most people can differen'ate between whats right and wrong. We have tons of guidance from religion (like the Ten Commandments, the Code of Hammurabi, and so forth), laws, and our individual consciences. Rather, ethics is more about discerning the gray areas and making choices based on values whereby any choice could be considered a right one. We generally rule out the wrong choices then we have to jus3fy which choice is more correct than the others. For instance, which choice will result in less harm to people (or the most benefit to the most people)? Uphold cherished moral virtues such as courage, jus4ce, wisdom, or temperance? Or require us to invoke certain du.es we have to each other? Thus, ethics is not about choosing between whats right and wrong but whats right and whats also right.

The second myth is that ethical decisions are completely ra1onal. That is, we only use our abili%es to reason to make ethical decisions. Current advances in neuroscience as well as reflec1on on philosophical theories the func)on of emo)ons in decision-making clearly illustrate that both reason and emo$on are involved in human decision-making, ethics included. Empathy and compassion are core requirements to be ethical. We begin moral moments with an intui5ve emo5onal reac5on to events we encounter. Therefore, without emo1on, we will even fail to recognize moral situa1ons. What can happen, however, is that our emo1onal cons1tu1on doesnt progress to our more reflec(ve, ra(onal abili%es. We can make moral judgments without thinking them through, without considering the needs of others or the consequences of such choices. We call this shoo3ng from the hip, the yuck factor, or the sniff test in ethical circles. And all are poor examples of clearly thought out and considered moral judgments.

The third myth is that ethical decisions can be separated from the other decisions we make in our case, business decisions. To deny that business is an inherently moral enterprise is to deny that business has any founda.ons in human conduct. Contract theory, theories of jus.ce, and principles of thri%, reciprocity, and service are at the core of good business prac6ces. Capitalism, socialism, communism, and other economic systems stem from ethical theories of how wealth, industry, and worth should be allocated. What has happened is that in our society we have put the emphasis on the value of profit over other values. The other values are not absent, they are just not primary. It can be argued that when pharmaceu,cal companies put the primacy on profit and forget that unlike other companies that make pure consumer products, they make products that are intended to benefit general human welfare

and health, then its likely that the lack of considera3on of these other, compe3ng values will create a culture of greed over human good.

If we take the best lessons from these three myths, we can begin to answer the ques8on of why bad things happen in organiza+ons that employ generally good people. The first lesson is that good ethical prac+ces need constant reinforcement. The Ten Commandments is great example. Keep it simple and direct. Reiterate the lessons over and over again. In terms of Pharma, build good ethical prac/ces into company mission statements, compliance training, and foster the kind of culture where good ethical prac%ces are encouraged, praised, and rewarded. The second lesson is to slow down. In our fast-paced world, we tend to or feel compelled to make decisions quickly. Good ethical thinking requires reflec9on, !me, and space. Create an infrastructure that encourages delibera!on, asking ques!ons, and avoids retaliatory or judgmental thinking. The third lesson is like the first remember that Pharma companies are in the business of developing products that benefit human health. Put the value on people, and if the product is designed, developed, and marketed well, then the profits will come. As a test, at your next family gathering or cocktail party, see what happens when you introduce yourself to a new acquaintance by telling them that you work to be2er humankind through safe and effec8ve medicines rather than you sell drugs. I think you will be surprised when you put ethics and values first.

Now that we have dispelled some of the myths about ethics, in the next series of columns we can begin to tackle some of the big ques3ons about our industry. Heres a preview. How can we explain the ethical lapses that have brought the public percep,on of our industry to beneath that of the used car salesperson? Why is it that individual people can act ethically (or at least not unethically) but the organiza(on s(ll suffers from ethical blunders?