21 Kenneth Frazier Inspirational Quotes

Kenneth Carleton was born on December 17, 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. He is executive chairman and former CEO of the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. After joining Merck & Co. as general counsel, he directed the company’s defense against litigation over the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx. Now, enjoy and share with the people.

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1. I think words have consequences, and I think actions have consequences.
2. My job is to make sure that 10 and 15 years from now, people aren’t going to say, ‘Oh, do you remember Merck?’
3. I think that size is not the key to innovation. Scale doesn’t confirm an innovation advantage.
4. The way we have looked at pricing at Merck is we’ve always said we want to be responsible, which means we want to optimize profitability and patient access.
5. America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry, and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal.
6. Affordability is critical so that patients have access to medicines.
7. At the same time, it’s also important that we have the kind of incentives that allow us to do the kinds of studies that we need to do to go after these diseases like Alzheimer’s.
8. I do worry that as we try to fix this long-term debt and deficit situation that we don’t destroy the market incentives for biomedical research.
9. What I fear is the government using its considerable clout to say, ‘Here’s the price we’re setting for your medicines.’
10. While a fundamental responsibility of business leaders is to create value for shareholders, I think businesses also exist to deliver value to society.
11. You either innovate or you become defunct.
12. The business of biomedical research is mostly about failure. Few projects we commission will ultimately result in success.
13. Every study we do contributes to the body of knowledge that brings science and society closer to a solution.
14. One of the strongest forms of rhetoric in our society is the rhetoric of blame.
15. I am a person who does not subscribe to the hero-CEO school of thought.
16. I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me or any other CEO to wade into every political dispute. That’s not what we’re here for.
17. I think every company has its own unique approach to creating shareholder value.
18. I think that size is not the key to innovation. Scale doesn’t confirm an innovation advantage.
19. The business of biomedical research is mostly about failure. Few projects we commission will ultimately result in success. But every study we do contributes to the body of knowledge that brings science and society closer to a solution.
20. You either innovate or you become defunct.
21. While a fundamental responsibility of business leaders is to create value for shareholders, I think businesses also exist to deliver value to society.

Download the first chapter of The Storytelling Series: Beginners’ Guide for Small Businesses & Content Creators by Obehi Ewanfoh.