Merck does not need to tell us anything: their customers are government health departments, and doctors. That's who they lobby, bribe, advertise to, etc. PWP, the only consumers of this drug, are not in the picture at all. The business model never works when the customers have no choice. When the needs of the customers are not even taken into account when decisions are made. The drug trade is not free market, but not government controlled either. It's the worst of all business models.
Honda breaks down; massive recall, President apologizes; spends hundreds of millions to fix the cars.
Drugs we are addicted to and need to function are diverted to the black market on the internet; at the same time as at least two production lines are shut down (Merck and Apotex), and Big Pharma and Big Government won't listen to us or talk to us, but they are sure talking to each other:

Merck Spent Just Under $3 Million — On US Lobbying — In Q2 2010 Alone
The old saw has it that “If you want to make an omelet, you’ll have to break a few eggs“. In Merck’s case, it is just a few shy of 3 million of them ($2.96 million, to be exact), in just the second four months of 2010.

That’s how much Merck (according to recently-filed governmental reports) spent in the second quarter of 2010 — lobbying on pharmaceutical issues. Issues like federal law (FDA) premption — like extending patent life — and like limiting inflow of Canadian drugs (at lower average prices). Issues like those.

Added to the $3.2 million Merck spent in Q1 2010, that’s about $6.1 million for a half year (about equal to all of the 2009 yearly spend — in just six months). And that’s LOT of eggs — one very BIG omelet.

From: A New Merck Reviewed (blog)
http://anewmerckreviewed.wordpress.com