Today Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced the first partnership and inaugural class of fellows for its newly formed Richard T. Clark Fellowship program. Five Merck/MSD employees are spending three months working with PSI, a global non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of people in the developing world. 

Named in recognition of retired Merck Chairman and CEO Richard Clark, and his philosophy of “Passion, Purpose and Commitment to Corporate Responsibility,” the global program leverages the skills and talents of Merck and MSD employees to build and support humanitarian organizations’ efforts to answer the health needs of the underserved.

“The Richard T. Clark Fellowship is one more way Merck is fulfilling its mission to save and improve lives,” said Geralyn Ritter, senior vice president, global public policy and corporate responsibility at Merck. “We have a strong commitment to employee volunteerism and supporting underserved communities.  Through this program and many others, Merck employees are actively engaged in making a meaningful difference in people's lives around the world.”

The program aims to strengthen the capability and reach of charitable organizations focused on improving access to health services and health outcomes. At the same time, it will provide Merck employees with unique development opportunities that help expand their understanding of critical health needs in different parts of the world.

"What really excites me is the opportunity the Fellowship gives employees to apply their dedication, skills and abilities to put Merck's mission into action," said Rickard. T. Clark, Merck's retired chairman and CEO.  "Working with humanitarian organizations around the world in this way allows us to have a truly unique effect on people's lives and better understand the future of healthcare."

The PSI Partnership

The first Merck Fellows will be working with PSI to enhance the quality and scalability of its franchise operating model.  Specifically, the Fellows will work to establish standards and procedures in areas such as brand management, field support and supervision, finance mechanisms and mobile health technologies that will be used by PSI to improve the quality and scalability of their country operations. The team’s recommendations will be piloted in several countries and ultimately implemented in PSI locations throughout the world.

“The Richard T. Clark Fellowship program represents the best of what is possible in private-public partnerships for global health. It is a win/win. The Merck Company benefits from PSI’s existing, on-the-ground network of health programs and our understanding of the local market for health products. We benefit from the Fellows’ energy, ideas, expertise and commitment to innovation – allowing PSI to further enhance health impact across the world,” said Karl Hofman, president and CEO, PSI.

About PSI
PSI is a global health organization dedicated to improving the health of people in the developing world by focusing on serious challenges like a lack of family planning, HIV/AIDS, barriers to maternal health, and the greatest threats to children under five, including malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition. www.psi.org

About Richard T. Clark
Richard Clark served as chairman from April 2007 until December 2011. He was CEO of Merck from May 2005 through December 2010. He also was president of Merck from 2005 until May 2010. During his nearly 40 years with the company, Richard led the Merck Manufacturing Division, Merck Medco and the company’s merger and integration of Merck and Schering-Plough in November, 2009. In December 2011, he retired from the company and the board of directors.

About The Merck Company Foundation
The Merck Company Foundation is a U.S.-based, private charitable foundation. Established in 1957 by Merck, a global healthcare leader, the Foundation is funded entirely by the company and is Merck's chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit, charitable organizations.  Since its inception, The Merck Company Foundation has contributed more than $700 million to support important initiatives that address societal needs and are consistent with Merck's overall mission to help the world be well. www.merckgiving.com

Merck Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes “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 all of 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 health care legislation in the United States and internationally; Merck’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other protections for innovative products; 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 2011 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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