Trending Now - Merck's Keytruda: Life-saving Drug Sparking Global Inequity

WHO:

DW.com - Merck & Co., led by CEO Robert M. Davis, is the manufacturer of Keytruda (pembrolizumab).

ICIJ - The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists coordinated the investigation involving 124 journalists from 37 countries.

DW.com - Nasır Nesanır, chair of the public health branch of the Turkish Medical Association, commented on the issue of medical innovation and global inequality.

ICIJ - Julio Ramírez, head of the oncology unit at a public hospital in Guatemala, described the difficult decisions he faces regarding patient treatment.

WHAT:

DW.com - Keytruda generated $31.7 billion in sales in 2025, accounting for nearly half of Merck's total revenue.

ICIJ - Keytruda has been approved for at least 19 types of tumors and has extended survival for millions of patients.

DW.com - The investigation found at least 1,212 patent applications related to Keytruda across 53 jurisdictions.

ICIJ - Merck made Keytruda-related payments to healthcare professionals totaling nearly $52 million between 2018 and 2024.

ICIJ - Keytruda's list prices vary widely, from about $850 per vial in Indonesia to more than $6,000 in the United States.

WHERE:

DW.com - Keytruda is sold in at least 53 countries, including the United States, Germany, Lebanon, Colombia, South Africa, and Turkey.

ICIJ - The investigation documented cases in Guatemala, India, Brazil, and South Africa regarding access to Keytruda.

WHEN:

DW.com - Keytruda was first approved in 2014.

DW.com - The drug entered reimbursement in Turkey in July 2025 for six indications.

ICIJ - The investigation was conducted over a year, culminating in findings released in 2026.

WHY:

DW.com - The investigation highlights how pricing systems, patent protections, and regulatory frameworks determine access to life-saving treatments.

ICIJ - Merck's pricing strategy is designed to reflect the drug's value to patients and healthcare systems, according to company representatives.

HOW:

DW.com - Merck has utilized a combination of legal and commercial strategies, including extensive patent filings, to maintain its market dominance.

ICIJ - The company has engaged in lobbying efforts and financial relationships with healthcare professionals to promote Keytruda.

(UPDATED April 13, 2026 17:23 UTC)

Merck & Co., led by CEO Robert M. Davis, has seen its cancer drug Keytruda generate an impressive $31.7 billion in sales in 2025, making up nearly half of the company's total revenue. An investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, involving 124 journalists from 37 countries, revealed that Keytruda has been approved for at least 19 types of tumors and has raised concerns about global inequality in access to this life-saving treatment. The findings also highlighted that Merck made nearly $52 million in payments to healthcare professionals related to Keytruda between 2018 and 2024, while the drug's list prices vary significantly from about $850 per vial in Indonesia to over $6,000 in the United States.