Merck's average net income over the past decade or so is ~15%. Ford's is ~2%. So true, Merck could lower prices across the board by ~15% and then they'd break e

Merck's average net income over the past decade or so is ~15%. Ford's is ~2%. So true, Merck could lower prices across the board by ~15% and then they'd break even. But in that scenario investors would have less inclination to invest in drug development, and we'd have worse drugs and healthcare overall. On the exorbitant premiums. Agreed, but this is essentially a tax on people that have private insurance and/or pay taxes (skewed greatly to the top earners in the population). There is a lot of fat in the healthcare system, all of which is a tax on US taxpayers, but directing the blame at big pharma is missing the forest for the trees. The amount doctors earn is a larger contributing factor to our healthcare costs vs EU for example. On the cartel comment, Pfizer and others have similar oral anti-virals in development. Competition incoming. If we didn't have this for-profit system, it's unclear if we'd have multiple drugs in development.