Ethical Overview of Pharmaceutical Industry Policies in Turkey from Various Perspectives

Countries' national drug policies include all key stakeholders (pharmacists, physicians, pharmaceutical firms, and patients) in the public, the private sector, and the field of pharmacy. The aim of this study was to outline pharmaceutical patents and data protection, orphan drugs, drug pricing, and surplus goods regarding pharmacoeconomics, promotions, inspections in the pharmaceutical industry, and policies in pharmacies with respect to buying and selling drugs, and to discuss ethics in particular.

Written laws in force relating to drugs in Turkey constitute the materials of this study.

Essential medicines must always be accessible. Both governments and pharmaceutical companies must fulfill the obligations imposed on them in an ethical way. Research and development activities must also be carried out for orphan drugs. While pricing drugs, authorities must take pharmacoeconomic evaluations into account.

Drugs must be accessible and in the first grade at all times under all circumstances because a product cannot replace it. The concept of surplus goods should be revised to ensure the common needs of the pharmaceutical industry, warehouses, and pharmacies. Promotions in the field by the pharmaceutical industry should be made based on scientific evidence in an ethical way. Inspectors should perform meticulous pharmaceutical industry inspections.