Interview: Health Care Policy Development
The interviewee targeted for this exercise was an administrator in a healthcare organization. The respondent indicated that the culturally diverse needs of different beneficiaries are met by involving them throughout the policy development process. Studies are done to identify the cultural differences and issues that must be considered during the policy development process. This is the case because some cultures prefer specific food materials and healthcare delivery models. As an administrator in the organization, the respondent mentored and guided different stakeholders in order to influence healthcare policy (Ghaffar, Rottingen, & Kieny, 2014). The administrator was an educator and a researcher who presented new ideas to support every targeted policy. The leader collaborated with other stakeholders and identified new resources to promote the policy agenda. The third question focused on the issue of oversight. The administrator reports to several oversight agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the state’s Health Department.
The next question focused on the issues to consider whenever promoting healthcare policy. The administrator argued that specific aspects such as current gaps in healthcare and existing laws were considered during the process. The administrator was also questioned about the ethical issues surrounding policy development. He indicated that policy developers were required to act ethically, consider the needs of the targeted subjects, addresses the challenges affecting their followers, and focus on the best practices that can transform the healthcare sector (Ghaffar et al., 2014). The last question was aimed at understanding the major barriers affecting healthcare policy development. The respondent indicated that poor lobbying strategies, lack of support, and failure to attract stakeholders were some of the major obstacles capable of disorienting the policy development process.
Pfizer’s Nigeria Scandal
The University of Miami outlines specific values such as ethics, integrity, and respect that can improve human relations. The case of Pfizer’s scandal in Nigeria raises numerous ethical questions regarding the standards of research. After analyzing the case, it becomes evident that the company was engaged in a number of research malpractices that led to the death of the targeted subjects. My personal conclusion is that the company did not consider the issue of ethics before conducting the targeted human medical research (Olufowobi, 2014). The study was not ethical. This is the case because the company used it to pursue its business goals and promote its drugs. The consent of the subjects and that of their parents were not sought before conducting the study.
It is agreeable that Pfizer was engaged in philanthropic activity in an attempt to address a meningitis outbreak in Nigeria. However, the firm failed to consider the rights and liberties of the affected people in the country. This did not make any difference since the philanthropic activity was unethical and unprofessional. From this analysis, it is quite evident that the nurse can become an advocate of ethical healthcare in a similar situation (Hiriscau, Stingelin-Giles, Wasserman, & Reiter-Theil, 2016). This is the case because the nurse is trained to put the needs and rights of the patients first. This skill can guide the nurse to provide evidence-based care that prevents injury or death. In such a scenario, the nurse would have embraced the use of approved drugs to deliver appropriate support to the targeted patients (Hiriscau et al., 2016). The consent of the patients would have been sought before administering the trial drugs. This discussion, therefore, encourages nurses, social workers, and companies to embrace the power of ethics in order to meet the needs of every underserved population.
References
Ghaffar, A., Rottingen, J., Kieny, M. (2014). Health policy and systems research: building momentum and community. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 92(12), 851-866.
Hiriscau, E., Stingelin-Giles, N., Wasserman, D., & Reiter-Theil, S. (2016). Identifying ethical issues in mental health research with minors adolescents: Results of a Delphi study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(489), 1-20.
Olufowobi, A. (2014). Protecting the rights of children as human subjects in developing countries: Revisiting informed consent. Seton Hall Law, 1(1), 1-38. Web.