Is Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) One of the Best Companies in America?

The case against
One word: Vioxx.

Pulling the drug off the market remains a giant black mark on Merck’s reputation. It’s pretty clear that the company knew about the potential for heart side effects years before the drug was finally pulled off the market.

The FDA let the drug stay on the market, and with Vioxx producing billions of dollars in sales annually, it’s easy to see how corporate greed could trump patient safety, especially since the initial results weren’t conclusive.

Best of the best?
Between Vioxx and Vytorin, Merck has had its fair share of disasters. It’s recovered nicely from the most recent one, but that was true after the drop post-Vioxx as well. I’d like to see a few more years without a major catastrophe before we put it in the top 25.

Click here to read about the companies that made the final cut of The 25 Best Companies in America.

The article Is Merck One of the Best Companies in America? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Brian Orelli has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Johnson & Johnson.

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