Drug Testing in Nigeria

Paper Summary:

This paper describes work carried out by researchers, Debora Spar and Adam Day, with regard to a clinical test of an experimental drug, Trovan, conducted in a Third World country under suspect conditions, with shoddy supervision and for questionable reasons. The paper relates that, though the Trovan trial was perhaps exceptional, it is also considered an example of what can happen when pharmaceutical corporations conduct research on humans in poor countries with bad supervision.

Outline:
Introduction
Background
Analysis
Operational Analysis
Strategic Analysis
Recommendations
Conclusion
References

From the Paper:

"A nervous system infection, Meningitis can kill a child in a matter of hours if left untreated. It killed more than 12,000 children in six months in and around Kano, a mostly Muslim city. Pfizer, a pharmaceutical giant drug company saw this scenario as an opportunity to do clinical research on 200 live humans, while possibly helping sick people. Half of the 200 children received Trovan and the other half received a "proven meningitis treatment," ceftriaxone, though they administered a dose lower than recommended. Pfizer has maintained its records demonstrate that not one of the deaths could be linked to Trovan or to substandard treatment, and that the clinical study shows there is a better survival rate for patients on Trovan than for patients who receive the standard drug. Survivors sometimes sustain brain damage or other complications from the disease, even if they are "cured" (AP, p. 1)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Associated Press Staff. (2007). Nigeria files $7 billion suit on U.S. drug maker. Associated Press. CT 20 July 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19875140/.
• Lustgarten, Abraham. (2005). Drug testing goes offshore. Fortune Magazine. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/08/08/8267653/index.htm
• Oboh, Mike. (2007). Pfizer faces $8.5 bln suit over Nigeria drug trial. Reuters News Service. Sunday, 30 Sep 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070930/bs_nm/pfizer_nigeria_dc&printer=1;_ylt=AkMgNBgWdY6LMIhGScjpMkqb.HQA.
• Spar, Debora and Day, Adam. (2006). Drug testing in Nigeria (B). Harvard Business School case.
• Stephens, Joe. (2000). The body hunters: As drug testing spreads, profits and lives hang in balance. Washington Post. Sunday, 17 Dec. 2000. Page A01. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A11939-2000Dec15.

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APA Citation:

MLA Citation: