The main theme of the movie revolves around revealing the reality of the drug companies that tend to test their products on the people of third-world countries. These companies do this because they believe they are accountable to no one if any adverse consequences occur. It is a very serious concern, and there is a chance that such incidents might have happened in the past. Strict regulations are required so that such types of incidents can be avoided in the future as well. Such types of incidents might occur and are becoming more visible due to globalisation, and due to this increased connectedness, the vulnerability has also increased more.
In response to the question of whether such a situation can occur in reality, the verdict of Vioxx is evident proof that the jury thought that the drug was sold by the company while realising that it is injurious to health. Strict regulations are required to curb such incidents. As far as the safeguards are concerned, it is imperative to gather information about the drug safety. The responsibility lies both in the developing and the developed countries, as strict regulations must be put in place in this regard. There must be a role on an international body that reviews and allows the pharmaceutical decisions of the developing country to be applied to the developing countries and their conditions where appropriate (Kremer, 2002).
A nurse can play the role of health care advocate in this regard. It is one of the basic cannons in the nursing profession and is essential to nursing function. Further, the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics suggests that a nurse must commit to advocating for patients under all conditions and all circumstances (Hanks, 2008). Thus, it becomes a moral duty of a nurse to stand up in this case and blow the whistle to highlight the concerns that might be injurious to the health of the patient.
Works Cited
Hanks, Robert G. “The lived experience of nursing advocacy.” Nursing Ethics 15.4 (2008): 468-477.
Kremer, Michael. “Pharmaceuticals and the developing world.” Journal of Economic Perspectives 16.4 (2002): 67-90.
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