Merck's Office of Corporate Philanthropy serves as the central clearinghouse for information regarding Merck’s Company-wide response to major disasters, and works with the Office of Corporate Responsibility and Global Policy Support to make decisions related to the Company’s donation of cash and/or medicines and vaccines in a disaster situation.

Merck believes that indiscriminate responses to urgent requests for assistance can be wasteful and counterproductive. Therefore, we follow the long-standing recommendation of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance that the Company's response be made on the basis of a firsthand assessment of need by local authorities and/or a designated relief agency. In major disaster situations, donations of Merck medicines are often made directly by the local Merck subsidiary or manufacturing facility. Where appropriate, and in consultation with local Merck management, the Office of Corporate Responsibility and Global Policy Support may donate pharmaceuticals and vaccines through the Disaster and Emergency Relief component of the Merck Medical Outreach Program (MMOP). For more on the MMOP, click here.

Our goal in providing disaster relief is to:

• Respond in a timely and appropriate manner;
• Meet the needs of relief agencies and the affected community;
• Provide consistent and coordinated Company-wide relief efforts;
• Facilitate communications and dissemination of information among employees and key external groups, customers, Merck neighbors and relief agencies.