But Medco’s customers and other drug makers have more worries than Merck’s head start. Could Merck gain access to proprietary information about other drug companies that work with Medco? And would Medco promote Merck drugs at the expense of rival products that might be less expensive? Merck chairman P. Roy Vagelos did not entirely reassure competitors. “The house brand usually wins, doesn’t it?” he said last week. But Medco chief Martin Wygod insists his company will operate as a “stand-alone” subsidiary–with outside experts to evaluate drugs and “more than a Chinese wall” around proprietary information. Wygod also contends that his customers will gain better access to superior Merck products, which will lead to lower hospitalization costs and fewer lost workdays. One thing is clear: Mrs. Clinton’s villains are working on the right prescription.
