Business Ethics
Objective
As students of business ethics, you all are well versed with concept of ethics, please find below a case study and at your own and keeping in mind ethics you have studied, answer the questions of issues related to the case.
CASE
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Terry Kelly received a National Institute of Mental Health grant for research in the Western Tropics. As part of her personal gear, she took along a considerable amount of medication, which her physician had prescribed for use, should Kelly find herself in an active malaria region. Later, after settling into a village, Kelly became aware that many of the local people were quite ill with malaria.
Kelly’s Dilemma: Since she had such a large supply of medication, much more than she needed for her personal use, should she distribute the surplus to her hosts.
Kelly’s Decision
Kelly decided not to give any medication to the villagers who were exhibiting symptoms of malaria, even though she had a considerable surplus in her personal supply. She reasoned that since the medication did not confer permanent immunity to the disease and because she would not be present to provide medication during future outbreaks of the disease, it was more important to allow affected villagers to develop their own resistance to malaria naturally.
Questions
1-Keeping in mind ethics, justify Kellys’ action.
2-Give your own opinion.
