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 rst lets tackle the myths.

The rst 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 dieren'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 benet 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 reec1on 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 reec(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 sni 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
prot 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 prot and forget that unlike other companies that
make pure consumer products, they make products that are intended to benet 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 rst 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 reec9on,
!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 rst remember that Pharma companies
are in the business of developing products that benet human health. Put the value on people, and if
the product is designed, developed, and marketed well, then the prots 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 eec8ve medicines rather than you
sell drugs. I think you will be surprised when you put ethics and values rst.

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 suers from ethical blunders?