Merck & Co. — Ethics Grade C-

Merck & Co. receives an overall ethics grade of C- (42/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Pharmaceuticals. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 60
• privacy: 65
• consumer: 25
• environment: 50
• humanRights: 55

Documented incidents (3)

• Vioxx Safety Cover-up (high, 2004) — Merck withdrew the painkiller Vioxx after studies showed it significantly increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Internal emails suggested the company knew of the risks years before the withdrawal but continued to market it aggressively.
• Offshore Tax Shielding (medium, 2017) — Investigations into the Paradise Papers revealed Merck utilized complex offshore structures in Bermuda to shift billions in profits and avoid paying significant US taxes on its patents.
• Talc Product Liability (medium, 2022) — Merck faced multiple lawsuits related to legacy talc products that were allegedly contaminated with asbestos, leading to claims of mesothelioma and ovarian cancer in long-term users.

Documented good deeds

• Mectizan Donation Program — For over 35 years, Merck has donated nearly 4 billion treatments of Mectizan to eliminate River Blindness in 44 countries.

Ethical alternatives

• Regeneron — Lower rate of product safety litigation and strong reinvestment in R&D.