Today Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, launched its 2010 global corporate responsibility report, which emphasizes the importance of discovering better ways of doing business to benefit both society and its business. The report is available at www.merckresponsibility.com.

"Our world is changing rapidly. We recognize that expectations for companies like Merck are now higher than ever before," said Kenneth C. Frazier, president and CEO, Merck. "We, of course, need to continue to be both innovative and profitable, but need to do so in a way that protects the environment, supports communities, respects employees, and demonstrates ethical behavior."

The report covers Merck's corporate responsibility activities, progress, goals and performance during 2010 in four focus areas that the company identified as critical to our business: Access to Health, Environmental Sustainability, Employees, and Ethics and Transparency. It includes metrics related to each area of focus and announces a new set of key performance indicators (KPIs) that will be used in the coming years to measure progress in each area of focus.

Merck continues to use several external reporting guidelines including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI 3.1) Guidelines, The Millennium Development Goals, the Access to Medicines Index, and the United Nations Global Compact Communication on Progress.

Discovering innovative solutions to some of the world's greatest health challenges

This year's report is themed "Discovering," highlighting Merck's commitment to discovering innovative solutions to some of the world's greatest health challenges. 

• Access to Health: The report highlights Merck's efforts and performance in facilitating greater access to healthcare, particularly for underserved populations. In early 2011, Merck introduced a Statement of Guiding Principles to guide its worldwide approach to access to health; the principles outline specific goals to assure progress across Merck's business, from R&D and the supply chain, to commercialization and investment in local infrastructure.

• Environmental Sustainability: The report highlights the company's respect for the earth's resources with a commitment to discover environmentally sustainable ways to meet the world's health needs. It includes Merck's recently established environmental goals and a road map that will guide the company's progress, from reducing its environmental footprint in the short term, to transforming its entire value chain over the longer term.

• Employees: The report highlights the company's efforts to create a work environment that allows both its employees and its business to thrive. Merck is committed to supporting its employees by developing resources and opportunities that help employees grow professionally, helping to improve the health of its employees and their families, and encouraging them to get involved in their communities in ways that are meaningful. 

• Ethics and Transparency: The report also reviews Merck's commitment to ethical behavior and transparent communications across its global business and how it is working to earn the trust of customers, patients and stakeholders critical to its business.

In addition to the comprehensive report at www.merckresponsibility.com, Merck has published an overview of its corporate responsibility approach and activities that, through profiles of employees and patients, brings to life its areas of focus and highlights various programs and partnerships that exemplify Merck's corporate responsibility commitments. The overview is available on Merck's corporate responsibility Web site; hard copies can be requested online.

About Merck

Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well.  Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.  Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions.  We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships.  For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. 

 Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and operating results, the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the possibility that the expected synergies from the merger of Merck and Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and healthcare legislation; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; Merck's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck's patents and other protections for innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health policies in the United States and internationally, and the exposure to litigation and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck's 2010 Annual report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), available at the SEC's internet site (www.sec.gov).

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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