Voodoo Medicine - Pharmaceutical Company Merck

Just as in the ancient times, where practitioners of the medical arts where viewed with suspicion and mistrust, but kept the populace alive, modern pharmaceutical companies work their magic behind the scenes for the benefit of mankind (and their stockholders) and we only see the details when something goes wrong. From the initial identification of the efficacy of a potential compound, through the development of a drug, the clinical trials, and the first sale, modern medicines follow a rigorous and tortures process before the first pill is ever prescribed. The focus of modern pharmaceutical companies is to find cures for modern ills, insuring the welfare of their potential consumer and the health of their bottom line.

Merck & Co., Inc. also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the USA and Canada, is a United States pharmaceutical company. It was originally the United States subsidiary of the German company now known as Merck KGaA. In common with many other German assets in the United States, Merck & Co. was confiscated in 1917 during World War I and set up as an independent company. It is now one of the top 5 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world both by capital and revenue. (Wikipedia).

Despite pending lawsuits after the voluntarily withdrawal of Merck's product VIOXX in 2004 (Merck 2004, Wikipidea), in December 2006 Merck announced a new medicine called VYTORIN, which was approved by the FDA, and according the to Merck Website and Press Release "is the first and only product approved to treat the two sources of cholesterol by inhibiting the production of cholesterol in the liver and blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine, including cholesterol from food". (Merck, 2006)

While "Merck is dedicated to staying at the forefront of discovery with a commitment to research and development" (Merck), Merck's own research, and continued follow up after medicine approval and market saturation, allowed Merck to identify possible issues with VIOXX well ahead of anyone else, which in turn let to the above mentioned voluntary withdrawal. Drawing this out in a logical manner, research therefore appears to play a vital part in not just Merck's success in bringing new medicine to the market, but also to stay in the forefront of the consumer's mind about being a hopefully responsible and vigilant Pharmaceutical Company.

In general, this apparent "unrelenting focus on breakthrough science has helped Merck researchers bring many important medicines to market" (Merck). Research appears to be "the foundation of Merck's success and the heart of the company's overall strategy" (Merck), which takes place "in a broad range of therapeutic categories with 54 locations in 24 countries; thus guaranteeing proximity to local markets" (Merck) and is very much in line with their official and publish mission statement, which states in part "Merck mission is to provide society with superior products and services by developing innovations and solutions that improve the quality of life and satisfy customer" (Merck).

When conducting research on the company, outside of its own website, it is apparent, despite the negative aspects surrounding VIOXX, that overall, Merck's focus on research is consistent with its mission and values. To facilitate adherence to their mission statement, Merck apparently initiated a broad range of professional and consumer sites that allows for the in-depth exploration of the company, making this paper possible.

We can also easily see this evident within Merck's limited listing of its product line on the Patient and Caregiver site, which leads to comprehensive explanations, followed by other listed resources, and thus it is very easy to comprehend Merck's research concept and product line. In addition, Merck also have an online version of the Merck Manuals of Diagnosis and Therapy (via Merck's Online Medical Library) and the Merck Veterinary Manual. Both are not only for the consumer, but more importantly, for any medical professional dealing with Etiology and Pathophysiology, Symptoms and Signs; issuing diagnosing based on the above indicators while needing to stay current with the official prognosis's on the books and the recommended treatment options.

When everything is said and done, consumers of pharmaceutical products end up knowing nothing of the behind the scene detail except for whether or not the pill they take makes their illness improve. Pharmaceutical companies work their magic behind closed doors, in a lab, and under a quarantine hood. Everyone wants the magic, but fears the consequences of a process gone wrong. The Pharmaceutical companies, while constantly striving for perfection, make mistakes just like any other human endeavor, and should be viewed as benefactors to modern humans (albeit benefactors with a profit incentive).