Vaccines are one of the public health success stories of the 20th century, having led to some of the greatest and most cost-effective achievements in public health. Mass immunization programs have resulted in the global eradication of smallpox and the elimination of polio from the Western hemisphere and much of Asia, while vaccines for diseases like measles, pertussis and diphtheria have dramatically reduced childhood mortality worldwide.  Because of gaps in the health care infrastructure and work force of the developing world, however, preventive measures such as immunization programs are both difficult to deliver  and particularly critical to the health and economies of developing countries.  By bringing forward new vaccines and making them accessible to those who need them around the world, while also helping to build capacity in developing countries, Merck continues to make progress in our mission of preventing disease and saving lives. 

The content on this page was last modified on October 24, 2008.