Company Overview
Caring for People Around the World
Partners in Communities
| Researching new medicines and developing them is not enough. As George Merck said, we must ensure that those medicines reach the people who need them. No matter where that happens to be. |  |
Helping patients
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With that in mind, the company seeks out and supports initiatives that foster disease education, prevention and care, and sustainable access to life-saving medicines in developing countries. Merck Frosst, in partnership with Health Partners International of Canada, a charitable Canadian medical organization, donates medicines for international humanitarian aid. Our parent company, Merck is engaged in international HIV/AIDS partnerships to continue the fight against the spread of the disease in the developing world. We're making our medicines available free in Botswana , where more than one-third of the population is infected. Merck has committed $50 million to the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership in Bostwana (ACHAP), a comprehensive program to fight HIV/AIDS in this sub-Saharan African nation. Merck is dedicated to making a difference in more than 65 developing countries suffering from the disease. In fact, we were one of the first companies to make our medicines available at significant discounts to developing countries. In 2003 alone, Merck donated nearly $400 million worth of medicines and vaccines to address urgent health care needs and disaster relief in the developing world. For example, every year, 40 million people in 34 countries outside the U.S. receive free medicine to combat the tropical disease river blindness. Merck isn't just a recognized leader in health issues worldwide, the company is a leader in helping people, regardless of where they live. Learn more about Merck's programs: Merck Mectizan™ Donation Program®  One of the most significant initiatives undertaken by Merck to help improve access to life-saving medicines in developing countries is the Merck Mectizan™ Donation Program®. This program is the single largest, long standing public/private partnership of its kind. Through this program, Merck has provided more than 850 million tablets of MECTIZAN® (ivermectin) free of charge to people at risk of onchocerciasis (river blindness) in some of the poorest countries in the world. MECTIZAN® halts the progression towards blindness thereby dramatically affecting the quality and duration of life. The program has grown and reaches more than 30 million people annually in more than 30 countries where river blindness is endemic. In 1998, the program was expanded to prevent lymphatic filariosis (commonly referred to as elephantiasis) in African countries where the disease co-exists with river blindness.African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership (ACHAP) In 2000, the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP) – an initiative involving the Government of Botswana, Merck & Co., Inc. and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – was established. The goal of the program is to support and enhance the national response to the HIV epidemic through a comprehensive approach with four strategic intervention areas: prevention, care, support and treatment. The Merck Company Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are each contributing $50 million over five years to the ACHAP initiative. This program is providing access to care and making long-lasting improvement to the healthcare infrastructure in Botswana. Accelerating Access Initiative Merck is also part of the Accelerating Access Initiative, a cooperative endeavour of UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank and other research-based pharmaceutical companies. Participants are committed to finding ways to broaden access while ensuring affordable, safe and effective use of drugs for HIV infections. Consistent with its commitment to increase access, in March 2001 Merck began offering its HIV/AIDS medicines CRIXIVAN® (indinavir sulfate) and STOCRIN® (efavirenz) to developing countries hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic for no profit. Significant discounts are offered to other countries meeting set criteria; more than 110 countries are eligible for discounted antiretrovirals. MECTIZAN® and STOCRIN® are registered trademarks of Merck & Co., Inc. CRIXIVAN® is a registered trademark of Merck & Co., Inc. Used under license. |
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