WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., March 5, 2009 - Merck & Co., Inc. today announced that it has signed on to the United Nation's Global Compact, the world's largest and most widely embraced corporate citizenship initiative. By signing on, the Company confirms its commitment to support the Compact's 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

"The Global Compact recognizes that, because of the wealth that business creates, businesses are part of the solution to world peace and security and to achieving a decent standard of living and quality of life in those societies that have not yet benefited fully from globalization," said Merck Chairman, President and CEO Richard T. Clark in his letter to The Honorable Ban Ki-moon Secretary-General of the United Nations. "I am pleased to confirm that Merck supports the 10 principles of the Global Compact"¦[and] We express our intent to support and advance those principles within our company and entities controlled by it."

Since the Compact's launch in 2000, the initiative has grown to more than 5,600 participants, including more than 4,300 businesses in 120 countries.

About Merck

Merck & Co., Inc., located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, U.S.A., also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) in most countries outside the U.S., is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

For more information about corporate responsibility at Merck, visit http://www.merck.com/cr.

For more information about the UN Global Compact, visit http://www.unglobalcompact.org/.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release, including the financial information that follows, contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this news release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck's business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and cautionary statements in Item 1A of Merck's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, and in any risk factors or cautionary statements contained in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc.

At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

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