Transformations  in
Business & Economics

Corporate Social Responsibility in the Pharmaceutical Industry: The Romania’s Case
Rodica Milena Zaharia, Marilena Ghenghea (Mladin)

ABSTRACT. The issue of CSR is among the most discussed issue in the academic literature and not only. Also, CSR in relation to pharmaceutical industry is a very attractive topic. However, this debate is a very complex one because it involves a sensitive matter, products that are destined directly to human life.

This paper consists of two parts. The first one is a theoretical approach about some characteristics of the CSR in the pharmaceutical industry. The second one is a qualitative research among some representatives of pharmaceutical industry and physicians. The purpose of this inquiry is to identify how these stakeholders appreciate the responsibility behavior of pharmaceutical companies.

The paper concludes that despite the growing literature against practices developed by these companies, those that have been interviewed are not against that practices and consider that is made a confusion of pharmaceutical practices with promotion and other marketing instruments used in any industry and no obligation arise from these practices.

KEYWORDS: CSR, pharmaceutical industry, ethical practices, drug selling, Romania.

JEL classification: M14, L99, O52, P2.