Science has played the role of the catalyst, if not, as the main driving factor for the development and evolution of mankind. Civilisation is arguably built upon the foundations of science. Life as we know it is the result of an astonishing chain of scientific and technological advanced over the past few centuries – advances that are largely driven by the partnerships between scientists and the government. The purpose of science is to serve and benefit society. Science should never discriminate, and instead help to bring inexpensive and effective solutions to the masses. However, in today’s materialistic world, there is no doubt that science is mostly done in the economic interests of producers. Thus, I strongly believe that science has become a profit seeking industry, which deviates from the original ideals of science: it is becoming less transparent about their practices with its consumers and the degradation of moral values is widespread among researchers today.
Science has become a profit seeking industry as seen in the deviation from its original ideals today. Science today places an overly large emphasis on the profitability of the products, which leads to the inability of the working-class patients to afford them. For instance, in 2015, Kalobios Pharmaceuticals, a leading company in the research and treatment of neglected and rare diseases, had raised the price of a drug used to treat a dangerous parasitic infection from $13.50 to $750. The marked price escalation has made the drug out of reach for an average consumer , especially given the lack of viable substitutes. Even more recently, prices on 411 drugs have increased by an average of 5% in 2020, according to GoodRx, a research team that tracks the cost of over 3500 drugs. Of the drugs that experienced rising prices, 407 are branded products, while four are generic drugs. This disregard for patients’ welfare by profit-driven firms may end up turning needs into luxuries, of which the average consumer may face difficulty bearing the rising drug cost. The lack of access to the medication and treatment these individuals need may ultimately lead to the deterioration of their well-being, which then defeats the original purpose of science today.
Science, being profit-driven, has also become less transparent and honest about their practices with the public today. To maximise profit , a shockingly large number of reputed companies that boast of technologies driven by research and development (R&D) had manipulated, fabricated and even suppressed scientific data and evidence from the public. Pharmaceutical giant, Purdue Pharma, had pleaded guilty to criminal charges that they misled regulators, doctors and patients about their narcotic painkiller, OxyContin’s risk of addiction and its potential to be abused. The company had aggressively marketed and highly promoted OxyContin to doctors such as general practitioners, who had little training in recognising signs of drug abuse in patients. Sales blew up, from $48 in 1996 to almost $1.1billion in 2000. The large availability of OxyContin – be it from local pharmacies, clinics or online platforms – has allowed both novice and seasoned drug abusers to soon discover that chewing on an OxyContin tablet provided them a high as powerful as that of heroin. This discovery inadvertently led to the skyrocketing rates of addiction and crime related to the use of OxyContin. By 2004, OxyContin had become a leading drug of abuse in the United States. Essentially, this proves that firms are willing to jeopardise the well-being of their consumers in their relentless chase for profits.
Another notable instance of such failing is in the R&D of the automobile industry. In 2014, Toyota, a leading automobile giant then and now, was fined $1.2 billion, the largest criminal penalty ever given to any carmaker in the US, for concealing information about its car defects from consumers and government officials, putting many lives at risk. This led to the recall of more than 10 million vehicles in 2009 and 2010. They had also paid $66 million in civil penalties from many wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits. Within the same year, another automobile company also came into the spotlight for the wrong reasons – General Motors. It had to pay $35 million in fines over its failure to report a defect that was linked to 13 deaths. General Motors had known since 2009 that its faulty ignition switches were prone to turn off, preventing air bags from working. However, the company had not told the government to initiate a recall until February 2014, which grew to include at least 2.6 million Chevrolets and other small cars. In 2015, Volkswagen was also accused by the Environment Protection Agency(EPA) and the US government for installing illegal “defeat device” software that turns on nitrogen oxide emissions – at up to 40 times more than the permitted amount – when driving normally, but turns off when the car is undergoing strict emission tests..The usage of cheat devices to evade implemented clean air standards by the government is illegal and a major threat to public health. These firms gloss over the functionality and safety of their products to meet profit margins, which causes harm, and in extreme cases, death. Ideally, science is used for noble purposes yet such flagrant transgressions show how science has transformed into a profit-driven enterprise to serve selfish, pragmatic organisational interests.
Moreover, science has increasingly become so profit-driven that it is common to witness the degradation of moral values in researchers today. In pursuit of fame and fortune, many scientists often cross moral boundaries and engage in unethical practices. In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui sparked massive outrage in the international scientific community when he claimed that he had successfully “edited” out the possibility of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) from the genes of a pair of newborn twins through gene editing. He experimented on them as embryos, which is illegal in most countries, including China. Many fellow scientists slammed Jiankui for pushing the realm of genetic research into dangerous and uncharted territory. China’s government placed him under house arrest for violating national laws, forging ethical review documents and seeking “personal fame and gain”. The finding that scientists do push the boundaries of science too far for their own selfish desires, undermining integrity and other ethical principles in this well-respected profession – treating scientific research as a means to an end instead of something important in and of itself, shows just how profit-driven and fame-seeking this industry has evolved into,
On the other hand, it is commonly thought that scientific research is motivated to develop the best products that will address the most pressing needs and issues of the community. However, the impression that firms are driven by passion is unlikely to be true. In fact, even today, as infectious diseases kill more than nine million people worldwide each year, antibiotic development is still in decline, abandoned by the big pharmaceutical companies as a money-losing enterprise. On the other extreme end, new antibiotics are being developed and produced, but come with outrageous price tags. Hence, it is evident that these firms just choose to make the most profitable drugs, and not the drugs that are of greatest value to society.
In conclusion, science has become a profit seeking industry, seen in its divergence from the original ideals of science by employing questionable practices to deal with consumers, and its corruption of moral values in researchers today. In light of these issues, I would recommend governments to invest more resources in R&D in search of more cost-efficient solutions that cater to the demand of the masses. Governments can form alliances with industries, where the government could fund the expenditure needed for the research and development of new technologies that would benefit mankind in the sustainable future. Tighter regulations are also necessary, coupled with regular surveillance and enforcement, to ensure that ultimately, science is able to serve its honourable, mighty goals.
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