Key difference in MRK and PFE products. If you know some ppl in the industry, ask them about the vaccine products edge MRK has over PFE. PFE has been growing too much through acquisitions and their in house R&D hasnt been too innovative.
I like both of the companies, big pharma is a very powerful industry with their tentacles deep in the government. Their stranglehold over the pill popping masses is very powerful and highly lucrative. Their finances are great. But, this industry depends on the masses lack of knowledge about real & true health and the natural health industry has been growing. I was gonna buy both of the stocks as long term multi year holds but I would like to see some action in Washington that would solidify their positions against the natural health movement. This wave of litigation is old news and priced into all products, take some risk finance classes and you will see that this has been calculated for in various industry for decades (ex: asbetos, tobacco, lead paint, certain lab products by Abbott which was my case study). A serious movement could cripple the big pharma along with healthcare & medical.
That being said, I do not take any products by big pharma, even aspirin or cold/flu products and do not believe in traditional Western medicine except for trauma treatment. I have serious disdain toward Western medicine and their corrupt & evil establishments. On an ethical level, I hate both of the companies but I also recognize that they are corporations which have a legal duty to bring profit.