MERRILL LYNCH HEALTHCARE FUND INC
NSAR-B, 1996-06-27
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SIGNATURE   GERALD M. RICHARD                            
TITLE       TREASURER           
 


<TABLE> <S> <C>

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<CIK> 0000709140
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH HEALTHCARE FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
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   <NAME> CLASS A
       
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<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000709140
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH HEALTHCARE FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 002
   <NAME> CLASS B
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               APR-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        341400212
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       387081548
<RECEIVABLES>                                  5292336
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  706787
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               393080671
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       5614903
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      5644792
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<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         44376140
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         23164140
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<INTEREST-INCOME>                              1087600
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<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                 (11716404)
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<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         126428694
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             3.43
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  (.05)
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<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   2.55
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000709140
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH HEALTHCARE FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 003
   <NAME> CLASS C
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               APR-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        341400212
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       387081548
<RECEIVABLES>                                  5292336
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  706787
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<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               393080671
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       5614903
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      5644792
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                           11259695
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     304055795
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          4439592
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                           528991
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       32081227
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<NET-ASSETS>                                  20761603
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<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      (1951370)
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<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         78325143
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      (376208)
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (877644)
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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                     (875322)
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
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<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  (.05)
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<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        (.20)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               4.68
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   2.52
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000709140
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH HEALTHCARE FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 004
   <NAME> CLASS D
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               APR-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        341400212
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       387081548
<RECEIVABLES>                                  5292336
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<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       5614903
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      5644792
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                           11259695
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     304055795
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          4202978
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          1178045
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       32081227
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<NET-ASSETS>                                  21563631
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              2109795
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              1087600
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<EXPENSES-NET>                               (5148765)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      (1951370)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                      45694034
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                     34582479
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         78325143
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      (455478)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        6230407
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (3290897)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              85423
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       226483906
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                     (875322)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                5148765
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          10762824
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             3.72
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  (.02)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           1.63
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        (.20)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               5.13
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.75
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>


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