Heroin and Contergan

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Crisis Management at pharmaceutical companies Bay
• Bayer and the Heroin Crisis
  • Brief history of heroin, the new wonder drug
  • Advertising and Marketing of Heroin
  • Banning Heroin from the Market
  • Bayer's Response to the Crisis
• Chemie Grünenthal and the Thalidomide Crisis
  • Brief History of Grünenthal's thalidomide
  • Research, development, testing and marketing of thalidomide
  • The thalidomide tragedy
  • Chemie Grunenthal's actions after the tragedy
  • How victims were treated
• Conclusion
• References

Objectives and Key Themes

This assignment examines the consequences of two pharmaceutical tragedies caused by heroin and thalidomide, analyzing the role of the producing companies, Bayer AG and Chemie Grünenthal, in the events. Through a brief history of the development of both drugs, a detailed research of their testing and marketing strategies, and an investigation of the crisis management measures implemented by the companies, the assignment aims to shed light on the social responsibility of the pharmaceutical sector. It explores the companies' efforts to prevent further damage and reverse existing problems, considering the global impact of these drug crises.

• The history and development of heroin and thalidomide
• The role of Bayer AG and Chemie Grünenthal in the tragedies
• Testing and marketing strategies of both drugs
• The crisis management measures implemented by the companies
• The social responsibility of the pharmaceutical sector

Chapter Summaries

The introduction establishes the significance of pharmaceutical products in modern medicine, emphasizing the crucial responsibility of companies to ensure drug safety. It highlights historical examples of tragedies caused by drugs due to improper testing and negligence, underscoring the importance of learning from past mistakes.

The first chapter defines crisis management and explores its relevance to the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting the potential consequences of internal errors, such as insufficient research and improper testing, on the health of the population. It further emphasizes the need for pharmaceutical companies to be aware of their social responsibility.

The second chapter focuses on the heroin crisis, providing a brief history of the drug's development and outlining Bayer AG's role in its production. It details the initial advertising and marketing campaigns that positioned heroin as a safe and effective cure for various ailments.

The third chapter explores the thalidomide crisis, detailing the drug's history, research, development, testing, and marketing strategies. It delves into the tragic consequences of thalidomide's widespread use during pregnancy, leading to severe birth defects.

The fourth chapter examines Chemie Grünenthal's response to the thalidomide tragedy and the subsequent treatment of victims. It discusses the company's actions after the discovery of the drug's harmful effects and its efforts to mitigate the damage caused.

Keywords

The primary keywords and focus topics of this assignment include crisis management, pharmaceutical industry, social responsibility, heroin, thalidomide, Bayer AG, Chemie Grünenthal, drug development, testing, marketing, and public health.