Conclusion

River blindness was an antagonizing disease in over 35 developing countries throughout

the Third World. Nearly all residents who were close to fly-breeding sites were infected and
suffering river blindness. They abandoned fertile areas near rivers and moved to poorer land. As
a result, food shortages were frequent. Dr. William C. Campbell, a senior researcher in
parasitology in Merck & Co., was researching and working with Ivermectin, a new antiparasitic
compound for use in animals; and believed that with the right formulation and intensive study
for human use, Ivermectin could be the answer to river blindness. Merck & Co. then has faced a
dilemma whether or not to produce the drug with the cost of spending millions of dollars and
even if it was successfully developed, none of the people suffering with river blindness could
afford it.
Though Merck is a for-profit company and it rely on the returns for the costs of the
research and development and other expenses incurred, it should stick to its vision To
discover, develop and provide innovative products and services that save and improve lives
around the world. The company may not gain profit from developing the drug as a cure for
river blindness disease, however, it satisfied its vision to save and improve the lives of the
people suffering from the disease. Merck may not recover its investment, and investors may not
be willing to invest, however, Merck is a company committed to corporate social responsibility,
thus, investors might decide to invest in the company with these values. The research might
not be favorable financially in the short term but in the long term, goodwill and good reputation
would pay off.