Schering-Plough and Concerns about Vytorin®
Image
Region
North America
Topic
Strategy & General Management
Length
11 pages
Keywords
methods
stakeholders
stakeholder concerns
effective and timely manner
Health
financial ramifications
Copyright Holder
Notre Dame
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students
Clinical tests showed cholesterol drug Vytorin® was not living up to the claims of the producers, Schering-Plough and Merck. Consumers could receive a virtually equivalent drug for one-third of the cost. The problem facing Schering-Plough was to find the best methods to reach its stakeholders and ensure them that their concerns will be addressed in a timely and effective manner. This case has health, financial, and legal ramifications for stakeholders.
Learning Outcomes
- To highlight the potential conflict of interests that pharmaceutical companies are faced with relating to the release and marketing of their drugs;
- To provide an example of how a company decision to boost sales by undergoing a study trial consisting of patients with extremely rare conditions can lead to unintended results, leading to a negative public perception;
- To encourage the analysis of a business strategy based on limited information;
- To demonstrate how a company will be held accountable to both the media and the public based on their perceptions of the company’s corporate philosophies;
- To encourage discussion concerning the timeliness of releasing study trial data as well as the effectiveness of the current drug approval process.