"How can we bring the best of medicine to each and every person? We cannot rest till the way has been found, with our help, to bring our finest achievements to everyone." George W. Merck.

In 1950, George W. Merck asked a question that we continue to debate today, "How can we bring the best of medicine to each and every person?" Indeed, questions like this one are being asked everyday by policymakers and patients alike:

• Why do medicines cost so much?
• Is pharmaceutical innovation really worth the price?
• How can we expand access while maintaining incentives for creating new and better medicines in the future?

While these questions are difficult, we must find an answer. At Merck, we strive to turn cutting-edge science into breakthrough medicines. We also realize that discovering a new medicine or vaccine is simply not enough without ways to make our discoveries available and accessible to all who need them.

With this section of Merck's Web site, we hope to continue George W. Merck's tradition of searching for answers to the toughest of questions. By presenting Merck's thinking on health care policy, this site is designed to contribute to the public debate surrounding the complex challenges facing health care and the pharmaceutical industry in the 21st Century.

We hope you will spend some time with us on these pages as we search for solutions that support pharmaceutical innovation while bringing the benefits of medicine to each and every person.

Access to Medicines
In developed countries with sophisticated approval, regulatory and distribution processes, concerns about access to medicines are often related to reimbursement, price, availability of competitive drugs, managed care, government policies and patient and physician choice. The best way to remove inefficiencies, control costs and improve the quality of health care is through competition and choice, the cornerstones of the free marketplace. The challenges to ensuring access to medicines, vaccines, and quality health care in the developing world are complex and require multifaceted approaches and solutions. Access to medicines in developing countries is often limited by inadequate health care infrastructure, lack of expertise and insufficient political will.

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
Merck supports the new Medicare prescription drug coverage and believes it is an important step in helping seniors and Americans with disabilities access the medicines they need.

Importation of Medicines
Importation is a response to the access barriers that arise from a lack of prescription drug coverage. The answer is not to allow importation but, instead, to expand access.

Prescription Drug Pricing
Merck believes that establishing prices through market competition, rather than by government regulation, is the best way to ensure that patients have access to our medicines.

Innovation
There are specific factors that enable innovation, which are crucial to Merck's ability to discover and develop new medicines. At Merck, we believe that policies that encourage and reward innovation are important to driving the discovery of new medicines and improving health.

Research and Development
Merck's dedication to basic and clinical research is a critical component of our mission and overall philosophy.

• Basic Biomedical Research
• Animal Research
• Conducting Clinical Trials
• Biodiversity

For more information on Merck's positions and policies regarding disclosure of clinical trial information:

• Merck's Perspective on Clinical Trial Registries and the Publication of Clinical Trial Results
• Guidelines for Publication of Clinical Trials and Related Works

The Vaccine Industry
Merck is committed to discovering, developing, and manufacturing vaccines. We are open to working with others to provide our vaccines to those who need them and to improve the environment for vaccines.

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising
DTC advertising contributes to greater public awareness about conditions and diseases, as well as available treatments.

Corporate Political Contributions and Merck PAC
Merck believes it is appropriate for the Company to participate constructively in the political process, where government initiatives to control health care costs and regulate the health care system will directly affect the Company's business and the incentives for pharmaceutical innovation.

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PhRMA GUIDING PRINCIPLES
	Read About Merck's Alignment with the PhRMA Guiding Principles - Direct to Consumer Advertisements About Prescription Medicines Learn more ( PDF* 31KB)