Payments to Doctors by Pharmaceutical Companies Raise Issues of Conflicts

I have posted about ethics in the pharmaceutical industry, and I will continue to do so. It is consistently a hot issue with a varying degree of topics.

"Drug companies pay medical professionals for a wide range of activities, from speaking engagements to consulting. While legal, the practice raises questions about potential conflicts, and whether the interests of patients may be compromised." (Article) Though it is technically "legal," does that make it moral? I don't think so. Doctors should not be paid by pharma companies. If they truly believe in a medication and want to speak out about it, they should be doing that on their own time.

What to Do While Searching for an Entry-Level Job:

·      Scout your resources. Are you still in school? Visit your school’s career center and meet with a counselor.  Learn about the internal job search system. Most schools have one in place.

·      Attend the career fairs. Wear a suit.  When in doubt, fall on the side of more conservative.

·      Start looking early. Many corporations recruit in the fall. If you’re a senior, you should be looking for the jobs you want to apply for as early as the end of the summer. Many job postings appear at this time.

·      Search for jobs on other sites as well. Even typing in keywords to Google can pull up great leads. (Example: “entry-level professional writing”)

·      Create a LinkedIn account. Fill your profile out fully and include all professional experience. The site is including a new Recruitment feature, which will surely increase the already stunning statistic: 86.6% of businesses recruit on LinkedIn.

·      Pass out that resume! Get a few good eyes to check out your resume. Too many people viewing it can be overwhelming. Ask a career counselor for help. If your current boss is aware you are searching for a job, ask them for help.

·      Don’t skimp on the cover letter. Easier said than done, right? If you really want to catch the eye of the recruiter, spend some time explaining why you are right for the job, what you can contribute, and why you are interested in that particular company. Spend time on editing. A cover letter (or resume) with typos will easily get thrown in the trash.

Article on Social Media Recruiting 

Drugs & Ethics: The Fine Lines

There has always been a fine line between business and ethics. Take a client out for lunch and how much is too much? Many companies have limits on what their employees can spend on clients and how big of a gift an employee can accept. Add pharmaceutical drugs and patients' health into the mix, and you've just brewed up one fine batch of fine lines. 

GlaxoSmithKlein, a UK based pharma company, has recently been in the news (Glaxo Settles Cases With U.S. for $3 Billion - NYTimes) for settling a three billion dollar case in the United States after accusations saying "the company had paid doctors and manipulated medical research to promote the drug." I think that it's safe to say a line was crossed here and the punishment was necessary. 
I personally am thankful we have such stringent laws against drug promotion. Paying off doctors is unacceptable, as is altering medical research to make yourself look better. This case should be made an example of to sway other companies to do one thing: the right thing.

I'm thankful to work for a company the places ethics on such a high pedestal.  Maybe we don't always make as much money as we could, but we do the right thing, and in the end, the customer loyalty is the biggest payoff of all.