In recent months Merck & Co. pleaded guilty to criminal misdemeanor charges in the illegal marketing of the painkiller Vioxx.  Vioxx has already been ordered to pay $4.85 billion to settle more than 50,000 heart attacks, strokes and deaths and another $1.9 billion for legal costs.  The most recent criminal charges forced them to pay an additional $950 million.  In 2010, Merck & Co. reported $45.91 billion dollars in sales and revenue.  (1)

U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz stated that “today’s resolution appropriately reflects the severity of Merck’s conduct; it is yet another reminder that the United States will not tolerate misconduct by drug companies that bends the rules and puts patient safety at risk.”

The Lies Continue

“We believe that Merck acted responsibly and in good faith in connection with the conduct at issue in these civil settlement agreements, including activities concerning the safety profile of Vioxx,” states Merck’s Executive Vice President Bruce N. Kuhlik.

“The settlement does not constitute an admission of any liability or wrongdoing.   As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors acknowledged that there was no basis for a finding of high-level management participation in the violation,” according to Merck.

Blood Money

Does U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz really think that justice has prevailed?  Did the payoff appropriately reflect the “misconduct”?  Merck killed people; husbands, wives, brothers, pastors, leaders died in the name of money, blood money.  How glad are you that you and your family live in a world where a giant company can kill people and just walk away?  The earnings associated with the organized crime outweigh the petty fines.

Blood diamonds have become known around the world because of the murder and atrocities done in a war zone that help finance a warlord’s activity. (2)   Is Big Pharma not a warlord?  They can lie, deceive, kill and maim for the extra sale.  The sale that will not only pay for the petty fines, but  also pay to put further drug ads in your face 24/7. 

Hired Assassins

“A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself.” (3)  Can you see the direct connection to Big Pharma?  They even pay and control lobbyists in Washington that create policy to take their maiming drug.  What happened to the Hippocratic Oath of first do no harm? 

Today’s healthcare delivery system relies on you being sick.  Once you’re sick, you’re a pawn of the system.  This is the ultimate Multi-Level Marketing scheme.   Without the low sick man, the structure crumbles.  There is no benefit to actually be healthy because that would cancel MRI’s, CT’s and Chemo-therapy; which is all bad for business.

The 950 Million Dollar Thank You

According to the new settlement, $426.4 million will go directly to the government and $202 million will be distributed to state Medicaid programs for 43 states and the District of Columbia.  Is this another way of paying off the government?  The perfect you help me, I help you, and we lie to the nation scenario. 

Be A Missionary

I choose not to be the low sick man.  I choose not to rely on a dysfunctional system.  I can choose my actions and take responsibility for my health.   I choose to fight social injustice and will tell the truth.  I choose not to contribute to the problem and risk further harm by the money hungry thugs.  I choose to lead others by example.  The choice is yours, what will you choose? 

http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/mrk/financials
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_diamond
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenary