Merck built patent fortress to keep Keytruda cancer drug prices high, investigation finds

An investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists examined how Merck uses patent protections, trade secrecy, and lobbying to maintain high prices on Keytruda, a blockbuster cancer treatment. The report documents families struggling to access or afford the drug and health care systems straining under its cost. The investigation involved journalists from multiple countries and is based on analysis of patent filings, lobbying records, and interviews with patients and health systems.