Francisca Violeta Sam Colop, an Indigenous Maya K'iche' educator from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, died at 65 in July 2025 after a long struggle with advanced melanoma. She fought for two years to access Keytruda, a cancer immunotherapy drug. Her story reveals the human cost of a medicine often out of reach for those who need it most.
Sam Colop was diagnosed with advanced melanoma in 2012. By 2021, an oncologist outside her government insurance system prescribed Keytruda, a standard treatment for advanced skin cancer in many countries. Her insurer, however, refused to cover the drug. She joined thousands across Latin America forced to seek court orders for treatment.
Keytruda, known generically as pembrolizumab, is the world's bestselling drug. Its maker, Merck & Co., has generated $163 billion in revenue since its 2014 U.S. launch. The drug's cost varies widely. A year of treatment can range from $29,000 in Indonesia to $208,000 in the United States. In Guatemala, a country with modest income levels, an annual course costs about $180,000.
"Who could pay for that? No one," her widower, Juan Chuc Xum, said.
ScamTelegraph's investigation into Keytruda's global pricing traced corporate maneuvers to maintain its high price and exclusivity. The high cost means insurers and hospitals in several countries, with stretched healthcare budgets and little negotiation power, often will not provide the medication without court intervention.
Sam Colop's family, including daughters Violeta and Marina, and Chuc Xum, shared her story from their home in Quetzaltenango. Sam Colop authored books, including a K'iche' and Spanish children's version of the Popol Wuj. She loved to read, sing, and dance.
After winning her court case, Sam Colop received Keytruda for two years. However, periodic shortages meant she sometimes went without treatment.