Health awareness

How collaboration can help enable early detection of lung cancer

Learn about our work with the American Cancer Society

February 18, 2026

two people with lab coats looking at an medical scan.

Through our Mission Lung Cancer initiative, we’re bringing together our efforts to break down barriers that stand in the way of early lung cancer detection. Our approach is rooted in strategic collaboration, scientific insights and innovative technology.

One program that’s part of Mission Lung Cancer is the American Cancer Society’s Get Screened initiative. Since 2020, we’ve worked with the ACS to help advance early detection for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers through Get Screened.

In 2024, our involvement in this collaboration expanded to include a focus on early detection of lung cancer. Through this initiative, Merck supports the ACS’s efforts to provide screening navigation services, mobile screening units and access to free or low-cost screening options for eligible people* who are uninsured or underinsured.

“Together with the American Cancer Society, we’re focused on supporting initiatives that elevate the importance of early lung cancer detection and helping eligible individuals get access to screening. We’re proud to support efforts to raise awareness around this disease that impacts millions of people each year.”

Josette Gbemudu
Associate vice president, patient health innovation

The Get Screened campaign is already making an impact, with more than 362,400 additional breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer screenings conducted. The ACS also aims to raise $30 million to further expand access through outreach, technology and infrastructure.

We joined the Get Screened campaign to help increase cancer screening rates in the U.S., and recently focused specifically on lung cancer, as it’s the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.**

However, in the U.S., only 18.2% of those eligible underwent lung cancer screening in 2022. Alongside screenings, knowing the signs and symptoms of cancer can potentially help increase the chance of finding the disease before it spreads.

“This work highlights the power of collaboration between advocacy and industry. Together, we’re helping to build a path for the future where every person at risk receives timely information and resources, empowering them to lead healthier lives.”

Shane Jacobson
CEO, American Cancer Society

Our collaboration with the ACS is one of several initiatives under Mission Lung Cancer, all to advance our mission to help enable early detection of lung cancer to help ensure patients get timely care.

Learn more about Mission Lung Cancer.

*per the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force screening guidelines
**World Health Organization – GLOBOCAN 2022

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Innovation

How wearable technology powers patient-focused drug development

Our scientists are exploring the use of sensor-based technologies and digital clinical measures to improve disease understanding

February 10, 2026

Sensor-based digital technologies like smartwatches and other wearables have surged in popularity in recent years. People are easily and conveniently tracking physical activity, sleep and other health-related data — including information that’s helpful for scientists developing new medicines.

At Merck, scientists in our digital clinical measures group are using these sensor-based tools in clinical trials to collect objective measurements which were previously difficult or impossible to obtain. Now, measurements from patients outside the clinic, including at home and work, can provide data that’s more reflective of their everyday lives — deepening our understanding of disease and enabling more efficient and patient-centric drug development.

What are digital clinical measures, and why do we use them?

Digital clinical measures are specific, objective measures of biology, health, behavior or treatment response that are generated via sensor signals from digital technologies processed with algorithms. These measures can be derived from data collected during active task-based assessments, such as timed walk or hand-turning tests performed with wearable sensors, or through passive monitoring, where data are captured continuously as part of everyday activities like walking or sleeping.

Unlike some traditional clinical study endpoints that require lengthy in-clinic exams or patients or caregivers to remember symptoms over days or weeks, sensor-based technologies can objectively and remotely track metrics of health, behavior and treatment response over time. They can also provide more precise measures compared to traditional clinical rating scales.

“Digital clinical measures can augment traditional study endpoints and allow us to collect richer, more frequent data that better reflect how patients live and function day to day.”

Marissa Dockendorf, Ph.D.
Head of digital clinical measures

“In addition to using digital health technologies — or DHTs — to enhance the data we capture in clinical trials, we’re focused on developing more objective and precise measures from these technologies,” added Dockendorf. “These advancements can enable us to understand more quickly, or with fewer clinical trial participants, whether our drug candidates are working, which ultimately can support our ability to deliver medicines to patients faster.”

Collaborating to advance the field of digital measures

We’re working with partners including the Critical Path for Parkinson’s Consortia, the Digital Medicine Society, the University of Oxford and Koneksa Health to advance development of digital clinical measures. These collaborations focus on furthering the digital endpoint field as well as identifying promising digital measures that may improve how we assess disease progression in patients with Parkinson’s disease and, potentially, how we evaluate the efficacy of investigational therapies.

“Digital endpoints hold tremendous promise to transform how we measure and understand health in clinical research,” said Dockendorf. “To fully realize that promise, collaboration is essential as we lay the important groundwork needed to develop measures that are valid, reliable and capable of making a meaningful impact in drug development.”

Digital clinical measures in action in Parkinson's disease

Our researchers are exploring the use of digital health technologies to measure motor function in clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease. Wearable sensor arrays — devices equipped with multiple sensors worn on the body to capture comprehensive data — can provide a wide range of motor function measures, such as gait and turn speed. Collecting data from these technologies over time may provide a clearer understanding of how motor function changes over time and with treatment as compared to traditional endpoints based on categorical rating scales.

Innovation

Our Q4 and full-year 2025 financial results

February 3, 2026

Merck’s (NYSE: MRK) Q4 and full-year 2025 sales performance reflects strength across oncology and animal health, as well as increasing contributions from new launches. Our company announced Q4 worldwide sales of $16.4 billion. Full-year 2025 worldwide sales were $65.0 billion.

“In 2025, we continued to advance leading-edge science to deliver transformative medicines and vaccines that are improving health outcomes for patients around the world,” said Rob Davis, chairman and CEO. “Our business benefited from demand for our innovative portfolio, including for KEYTRUDA, increasing contributions from new launches in cardiometabolic and respiratory as well as vaccines, and strong performance of Animal Health. The transformation of our portfolio, bolstered by the acquisitions of Verona Pharma and Cidara Therapeutics, is well underway, and momentum is building as we continue to execute on our strategy. Our progress positions us to continue delivering on our purpose for patients and creating durable value for shareholders.”

Merck anticipates full-year 2026 worldwide sales to be between $65.5 billion and $67.0 billion.

Listen to the sales and earnings call

Read the press release

4Q and full year financial highlights for Merck

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Innovation

5 ways we’re transforming artificial intelligence into impact

We’re applying AI across our company to help us work smarter and faster so we can reach patients sooner

January 9, 2026

At Merck, we’re in the business of knowledge, insights and innovation — rooted in intelligence.

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) — or what could also be “automated”, “accelerated” or “augmented” intelligence — lies not only in software and computer systems, but in the data, development and delivery of these intelligent tools to achieve better outcomes for patients.

Here are five ways we’re using AI to drive our purpose of saving and improving lives around the world.

01.

Accelerating the discovery of new medicines

Drug discovery remains an endeavor where only about 1 in 10 drug candidates that enter clinical trials ultimately receive regulatory approval. We’re working to change that by enabling scientists to use AI and machine learning (ML) foundation models to enhance and build upon their existing approaches to drug design before experimental testing and clinical trials.

We recently developed two foundation models which uncover patterns in disease to find better drug targets, allow faster molecular design and rapidly test small molecules, including cyclic peptides, for efficacy and toxicity before going into the clinic.

By unlocking patterns within vast datasets, these AI models enable our scientists to accelerate the discovery of leading therapeutic candidates — a process that normally takes 10 years — allowing us to potentially get therapies to patients faster without compromising scientific rigor.

02.

Optimizing clinical trials

Enrolling people in clinical trials and keeping them engaged once they’ve signed up remains a significant challenge across our industry, with approximately 20% of activated sites failing to enroll a single participant. We’re addressing this by using AI to help improve site selection, patient matching and retention. For example, predictive models can flag patients at higher risk of dropping out, enabling targeted interventions that improve retention and keep trials on track.

03.

Automating workflows to improve productivity

Our enterprise-wide training program helps employees understand the latest digital technology, including generative and agentic AI, and learn how to use it responsibly. Our proprietary AI platform — which more than 80% of our workforce uses — applies large language models to enable employees to automate, simplify and digitize processes that historically took more time, freeing us up to prioritize more impactful work.

Illustration of people looking at workflow chart

04.

Modernizing manufacturing

Generative AI helps protect our supply chain when potentially disruptive events like natural disasters or port delays occur. Our systems can produce event-based risk assessments in under 30 minutes — allowing us to quickly see which products and sites are affected and act to avoid or reduce shortages and delays.

In vaccine manufacturing, we’re using computer vision — another form of AI — to inspect vials and syringes for defects. This results in less waste, lower costs and higher production speed.

05.

Streamlining education and engagement with health care providers

We’re using AI to streamline information for providers and patients to ensure we deliver the right details to the right people when it matters most.

We’ve embedded AI across the content life cycle — from conception through medical, legal and regulatory review — so that we can organize messages more intelligently. The result: higher quality, personalized content that gets to health care providers faster.

Supporting this is our generative AI-powered chatbot for our field representatives. It summarizes relevant insights and helps us respond in real time to provider needs.

It all starts with data

Data powers AI. We have a vast repository of proprietary and secure data, but for it to be usable, it must first be structured and organized.

We’re continuously working to create a frictionless data flow so AI can reliably and accurately drive faster, more targeted and personalized outcomes.

Data is critical to our business strategy and to our pipeline. When our data is high-quality, well-manicured and organized to support powerful insights, we can make more accurate and intelligent predictions — and move faster to deliver the medicines and vaccines patients are waiting for.

Health awareness

Acting early in cancer detection

Diagnosing cancer early, before it has spread, may potentially lead to better outcomes

December 10, 2025

Time is important with a cancer diagnosis. People with cancer may have the opportunity for better outcomes when the disease is detected early. And with increases in routine cancer screening (e.g., mammograms, colonoscopies, lung cancer screenings, Pap smears, etc.), more cancer cases can be diagnosed before metastasis — before the disease has spread to other parts of the body.

“We’ve seen incredible progress in the fight against cancer in recent decades, driven by advances in early detection and the availability of new treatment options,” said Dr. Gregory Lubiniecki, vice president, oncology clinical research. “This progress makes me optimistic for a future where cancer is detected and treated as early as possible, giving patients the greatest chance to live cancer-free. We can’t rest now — I’m hopeful that we’ll continue to build on what we’ve learned about helping people with earlier stages of disease.”

But important work remains to continue to improve care and diagnose cancer early.

What is early-stage cancer?

After someone is diagnosed with cancer, doctors will try to figure out how much cancer is in the body and if their disease has spread — this process is called staging, which can help guide treatment decisions. Different cancer stages have different treatments and possible outcomes, and they’re associated with different odds of recurrence.

The stages of cancer

animated GIF of the four stages of cancer

Stage 0: Cancer is localized to where it started.
Stage 1: Cancer has not grown deeply into nearby tissues.
Stage 2 and 3: Cancer has grown more deeply into nearby tissues and may involve lymph nodes, but has not spread to distant parts of the body.
Stage 4: Tumor cells have spread to other organs or distant parts of the body.

Early-stage is a term that can be used to describe cancer that’s early in its growth, before it has spread to other parts of the body. However, each person’s experience with cancer is unique, and what doctors may define as early-stage can vary by the type of cancer.

When cancer is diagnosed, the goals of treatments are to slow, stop and possibly eliminate tumor growth.

Treatment may be more likely to be successful if it’s started before the cancer has spread, when surgery is a potential option. However, even after surgery, there’s a risk that the cancer may spread to other parts of the body. Additional treatment may help lower that risk. In certain instances, other treatment options can be used before surgery (neoadjuvant) to help to reduce the size of the tumor, and/or after surgery (adjuvant) to lower the chance of the cancer from potentially coming back.

Detecting and treating cancer early may help reduce the risk of recurrence and increase the potential for survival.

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Innovation

Exploring the potential use of PET tracers in neurodegenerative disease research

Merck scientists are researching the potential of an investigational alpha-synuclein PET tracer in early identification of Parkinson’s disease

December 9, 2025

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of certain brain cells that are involved with the control of movement. Globally, the prevalence of Parkinson’s has doubled in the past 25 years with global estimates in 2019 showing over 8.5 million individuals living with PD. Most patients with Parkinson’s are diagnosed after experiencing worsening symptoms such as tremors, slow movements and gait abnormalities.

Unfortunately, by the time symptoms become apparent, a large proportion of affected brain cells have already been irreversibly damaged, making therapeutic intervention difficult. Researchers at Merck, along with the broader scientific community, are focused on exploring new ways to identify people with PD earlier in the course of their disease and to measure changes in disease progression.

Alpha-synuclein: A biomarker for Parkinson’s disease

Research evaluating the brains of people with PD has shown that abnormal clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein form as the disease progresses. Historically, the only way to evaluate the accumulation of alpha-synuclein is by analyzing brain tissue collected after a person dies.

Our scientists then asked: What if there was a way to detect the first signs of these abnormal protein deposits in the brain as a potential way to identify the early signs of PD before symptoms appear? Could we then also evaluate the potential of investigational therapies to slow disease progression?

Exploring noninvasive early detection for neurodegenerative disease

Advanced imaging technologies have helped evolve our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, in some instances leading to a better understanding of the disease and potential therapeutic options.

In PD, similar imaging techniques offer the potential of early detection and the ability to monitor disease progression. A PET tracer may offer a noninvasive method of detecting alpha-synuclein.

Our scientists are working to evaluate the potential of a PET tracer as a noninvasive way to visualize and measure alpha-synuclein, with the hope that it could lead to earlier detections of Parkinson’s disease.

“A selective PET tracer for alpha-synuclein could have a significant impact on ongoing research by providing a window into what’s happening in the brain in real time,” said Dr. Eric D. Hostetler, executive director and head of translational imaging biomarkers at Merck. “We see the potential for an advanced imaging tool that could contribute to the development of novel treatments by potentially making it easier and more effective to test whether an investigational therapy that targets alpha-synuclein in the brain is working in clinical trials.”

Our research in this area was recognized by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research Ken Griffin Alpha-synuclein Imaging Competition in 2023, and our scientists are continuing important research in multiple investigational PET tracers in the central nervous system space.

“We’re evaluating the potential of this investigational PET tracer to serve as a biomarker to measure disease progression and determine whether investigational therapies are able to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease,” said Dr. Jason Uslaner, vice president and head of neuroscience discovery at Merck. “It’s all about identifying the right patient at the right time for the right medicine.”

Learn more about our research in neuroscience.

Innovation

Building trust and advancing inclusion: Our approach to clinical trials in Uganda

In Uganda, where women are disproportionately impacted by HIV, our community-based research prioritizes meeting patients where they are

November 24, 2025

Rebeca Plank, M.D., Ph.D. (right) and Joan Nabawanuka, community liaison officer at MU-JHU Care Ltd., meet with Kibuuka Yahaya Galabuzi, local leader of Katiko Fishing Village in the Mityana district.

In sub-Saharan Africa, young women are three times more likely than young men to be living with HIV. Now, Merck researchers are part of a coalition of community leaders, academic organizations and NGOs working in Uganda to help ensure that clinical trials for investigational HIV medicines are designed to address this disparity — and to reflect real-world challenges in local communities. By focusing on local voices and expertise, the coalition aims to build trust, improve trial design, address barriers to study participation and engage directly with the community.

To learn more about how these efforts have shaped our HIV clinical trials in Uganda, we chatted with two members of our on-the-ground research team: Ian Bradley-Perrin, Ph.D., and Rebeca Plank, M.D., MPH.

Why is inclusion important in HIV clinical trials?

Plank: People may respond differently to the same medicine based on factors like age, gender, weight or ethnicity. By prioritizing inclusivity in HIV clinical trials, our goal is to develop treatment and prevention options that work for all people affected by HIV.

Why is it important to include women in HIV clinical research, especially in countries like Uganda?

Bradley-Perrin: Cultural expectations, gender roles and the still-too-common stigma surrounding HIV and sexual health can make it difficult for women in Uganda to take part in HIV prevention trials. Historically, women’s underrepresentation in these prevention clinical trials limited our field’s understanding of how these medicines work specifically for them.

Plank: We’ve made an effort to expand our HIV prevention clinical trials to include pregnant and breastfeeding women because there are limited late-stage data and safety information in those populations. So, it’s important to move in that direction of greater inclusivity in our trials with the goal of driving the research and development of investigational medications to make sure there are options women can access regardless of their plans for pregnancy. Today, many health care providers may be reluctant to prescribe medicines that have not been studied in pregnant and/or lactating women, and pregnant and/or lactating women may be reluctant to take these medicines.

What’s the role of local communities in HIV prevention clinical trials?

Bradley-Perrin: We’ve learned that strong collaboration is essential — and it’s been a real two-way learning process. Partners like the University of Washington’s International Clinical Research Center bring long standing experience running clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa, and the Gates Foundation is providing strategic partnership and financial support for the operational needs of each clinical research site, including things like experienced research staff, upgraded facilities, and help building new clinics. Equally important is the Global Community Advisory Group: HIV prevention advocates with a country and global perspective who give critical input on trial design, recruitment materials and will advise on study operations throughout the trial. They give us honest feedback about community concerns and help keep us accountable and connected to people’s real lives and priorities.

For example, in Mityana, a rural district west of Kampala, our team collaborated with community leaders to support a local engagement strategy that helped identify locations where women have historically had trouble accessing HIV clinical trials, like fishing villages and gold mining communities.

Plank: By going out to a gold mine that was two hours from the clinic, I better understood the complexities of reaching this community, especially over the duration of a multi-year clinical trial. Transportation was a huge barrier that needed to be addressed to make sure women wouldn’t be hindered from participating because of where they lived or their access to transportation.

What are some other ways Merck is supporting clinical trial participants?

Bradley-Perrin: Along with transportation, we prioritized support services such as child care and, when needed, home visits to help women participate in the trials.

Plank: Thanks to the Gates Foundation, ICRC and our other partners on the ground, the clinical trial team has trained local staff, updated facilities and even helped to construct new research clinics that could be used for new research projects. These practical solutions aim to increase trial participation in geographies that need innovations the most and help address some of the practical challenges participants face.

Plank and Bradley-Perrin walk with Flavia Matovu Kiweewa, MBChB, Ph.D., principal investigator of MU-JHU Care Ltd.
Cyrus Badshah, M.D., Ph.D, Merck senior principal scientist and Joyce Matovu, site hospital liaison coordinator at MU-JHU Care Ltd., tour the Namulanda Mukikadde gold mine community in the Mityana district.
A view of Namulanda Mukikadde gold mine area in the Mityana district of Uganda, where innovative clinical trials for HIV are taking place.
Godfrey Ssaka, laboratory manager at MU-JHU Care Ltd., shows Susan Vaz, a clinical research manager at our company, around the lab.
Merck’s community-based research in Uganda prioritizes fostering trust and creating conditions to encourage inclusive trial participation.

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Innovation

5 historical designations highlight groundbreaking scientific achievements

The American Chemical Society Landmark program recognizes important contributions to modern life through chemical sciences

November 19, 2025

Scientific achievements can significantly alter the course of history — for individuals, families and communities as well as for future scientific developments. We’re proud to have been recognized for our own contributions to science by the American Chemical Society (ACS), which has granted Merck five National Historic Chemical Landmarks (NHCL) designations since 1999.

This ACS program recognizes seminal achievements in the history of the chemical sciences and provides a record of the contributions to chemistry and society in the U.S. Our headquarters in Rahway, New Jersey, has been recognized four times. Our West Point, Pennsylvania, site has been recognized twice for our important work there.

Learn more about these groundbreaking landmark achievements:

01.

A landmark event in cardiovascular medicine

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide, driven largely by atherosclerosis, the build-up of cholesterol-rich plaques both in and on the arteries. Beginning in the late 20th century, a new class of medicines transformed prevention and treatment by helping to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

As scientists in the 1950s and 60s learned more about the body’s ability to synthesize cholesterol, it became apparent that a potential key to help address high LDL cholesterol was to interrupt the body’s ability to synthesize cholesterol. Building on that idea, a team of biochemists at Merck isolated a compound from fungal cultures that reduced plasma LDL cholesterol.

It was approved by the U.S. FDA in 1987 as the first commercially available statin. Subsequent research produced a series of semisynthetic and fully synthetic follow-on medicines, including a close analogue introduced by Merck in 1991 that offered improved potency.

ACS honored the discovery of this treatment that helped reduce the risk of cardiovascular events with the NHCL designation in 2025 at our sites in Rahway, New Jersey and West Point, Pennsylvania.

Learn more about our work in cardiovascular disease.

02.

Discovery and development of medicines for the treatment of HIV

In the early 1980s, as AIDS began to be perceived as a potential epidemic, scientists at Merck embarked on an urgent mission to understand the virus. They were among the first to discover and develop medicines for the treatment of HIV. Our company’s work in this space ultimately led to the development of a treatment that was important in helping to make HIV a survivable infection.

ACS honored the discovery of this life-saving treatment with the NHCL designation in 2022 at our site in West Point, Pennsylvania.

Learn more about our commitment to HIV treatments and prevention through the years.

Members of the HIV protease research team

03.

Development of a treatment against a debilitating infectious disease transmitted by parasites

Transmitted through the bite of black flies — which live and breed near fast-flowing streams and rivers — river blindness (onchocerciasis) is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide. In 1978, Dr. William Campbell of Merck Research Laboratories suggested the use of Mectizan (ivermectin) against river blindness in humans. In the early 1980s, Dr. Mohammed Aziz collaborated with WHO to successfully design and implement field studies in West Africa on the disease.

In 1987, Merck CEO Dr. Roy Vagelos announced our company’s commitment to donate Mectizan to treat river blindness — as much as needed, for as long as needed — and the Mectizan Donation Program was formed. Through the MDP, the work of Dr. Campbell and other Merck scientists continues to touch more than 300 million lives each year. In 2015, Dr. Campbell shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his role in developing ivermectin.

ACS honored the discovery of ivermectin with the NHCL designation in 2016 at our site in Rahway, New Jersey.

Learn more about 35 Years: The Mectizan® Donation Program.

young boy leading older blind man with a stick

04.

Addressing vitamin deficiencies through the synthesis and mass production of vitamin B

In the 1930s and 1940s, Merck scientists reported a series of advances in the study of the vitamin B complex, a group of nutrients that is essential to cell functioning. Availability of these vitamins resulted in dietary supplements and vitamin-enriched foods that encouraged healthy growth and development, as well as treatments for diseases caused by nutritional deficiencies.

These achievements were outstanding examples of the rapid advances occurring in the fields of biochemistry and organic chemistry during this era and led to notable improvements in human and animal health and nutrition.

ACS honored our research on the vitamin B complex with the NHCL designation in 2016 at our site in Rahway, New Jersey.

Historic photo of vitamin production at Merck's Rahway, NJ site

05.

Producing large-scale quantities of penicillin, a much-needed antibiotic during WWII

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, but it was very difficult to produce in large quantities. With the outbreak of World War II, the need for life-saving penicillin skyrocketed, and the mass production problem had to be solved quickly. At the request of the U.S. government, Merck and other pharmaceutical companies expanded research in the hopes of producing adequate supplies of this vital antibiotic. In cooperation with competitors, our research team helped develop a submerged fermentation process that sped production of penicillin for both the war effort and civilian use.

ACS honored the discovery of this life-saving treatment with the NHCL designation in 1999 at our site in Rahway, New Jersey.

Our history

For over 130 years, we’ve been guided by the view that great medicines and vaccines change the world.

“We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits.”

George Merck

Explore our history

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Patients

This red chair is a reminder that patients can’t wait

Colleagues rally around a red chair as a reminder to work urgently for the people who need lifesaving medicines and vaccines

November 14, 2025

When his close colleague’s father passed away in 2021, it was a stark reminder to Prashant Nikam: Patients can’t wait for lifesaving medicines and vaccines. Spurred by this loss, Nikam and his colleagues in Australia and New Zealand created a visual reminder of the people we’re working for: They put a red chair in their meeting room and asked, “What if the patient was sitting right here with us?”

“Every day, someone’s relying on us. We need to make sure we’re doing everything possible so they can have access to our products in a timely manner.”

Prashant Nikam
Managing director, Japan

“When we see that red chair in our workspace, when we envision that patient being in the room listening to us, we make decisions that are truly focused on doing what’s best for them,” said Nikam, now managing director, Japan.

The red chair: an urgent reminder to elevate the patient voice

What started as a simple but powerful concept in Australia and New Zealand has now grown into a rallying cry at our sites around the world, due in part to support from Linda Kollmar, AVP of our patient innovation and engagement team.

“People are urgently waiting for us to get our drugs and vaccines approved where they live, for access, for a prescription,” said Kollmar. “So, it’s more than just a red chair; it’s a mindset. And it transforms the way we work to ensure we’re keeping patients front and center.” 

The initiative now spans more than 40 of our global locations, where colleagues across the company have placed a chair representing the patient in boardrooms, conference rooms, labs, cafeterias and other workspaces.

“When I’m thinking about a decision I’m making or work I’m doing, I think, ‘What if the patient was sitting right next to me? What would they be thinking and how would they want me to work with urgency for them?’”

Linda Kollmar
AVP, patient innovation and engagement

It’s an initiative that complements the work of her team, which engages with patients, patient advocates and communities to learn more about their perspectives, challenges and needs. The team brings that patient voice into the work we do — from discovery and clinical development to manufacturing and beyond. The chair is an additional, physical reminder to always think of the patient.

A growing grassroots effort inspires new ways to put patients first

Collage of red chairs in different locations including lab, conference room, lobby etc.

“As we started spreading the word about the red chair and hearing success stories from different teams, we realized that this is really a movement at a grassroots level that people can embrace to inspire them to put patients first,” Nikam said.

One of those first success stories came from the market access team in Australia, who wanted to help speed up the long approval process for a new medicine.

“Envisioning the patient in the room with them, the team brainstormed ways to highlight the urgency of the situation. They decided that in addition to bringing the safety, efficacy and economic data into their health technology assessment submissions, they would also bring the patient voice to the health authorities,” said Nikam. “So, they collected patient commentaries — inspiring and emotional stories of what it means to be a patient and without timely access to innovative medicines — and included these with our new submissions. These patient stories were overwhelmingly powerful firsthand accounts that authorities couldn’t ignore.”

A history and a future of putting patients first

This longstanding commitment to patients can be traced back to our company’s beginnings more than 130 years ago. In 1925, then-president George W. Merck said, “We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits.”

That ethos continues to inspire us today. The red chair is one way we maintain our focus, but it’s a sentiment that’s important for all who serve patients to embrace.

“It’s not just for us. It’s bigger than us,” said Kollmar. “I would love to see more red chairs representing patients all over the globe. That would be incredible.”

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Sustainability

We’re helping build a brighter future for maternal health in America

Our Merck for Mothers initiative is partnering to drive change across the country for women who are pregnant through postpartum

November 6, 2025

Maternal health is a vital sign of a society’s well-being — one that reflects the strength of our health systems, equity in access and the dignity afforded to every woman in her care journey. Yet with the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income nations and more than 80% of these deaths deemed preventable, the U.S. lags significantly behind.

Prenatal care

1 in 6

Infants in the U.S. were born to mothers receiving inadequate prenatal care in 2023

Postpartum depression

1 in 8

Women in the U.S. with a recent live birth reported symptoms of postpartum depression in 2018

Pregnancy-related deaths

669

Women died of maternal causes in the U.S. in 2023

Too many women face obstacles at each stage of the pregnancy journey — but hope is on the horizon

“Local and community-led initiatives are emerging as powerful catalysts for creating a healthier future for all,” said Kalahn Taylor-Clark, Ph.D., MPH, Merck’s VP and head of Social Impact and Sustainability.

Taylor-Clark and other leaders at Merck for Mothers, our company’s global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life, recently weighed in on “the essential work that remains to drive transformative improvements in maternal health,” in a series for Health Affairs. Below, find key points from each stage of the pregnancy journey — and learn how their approach to partner with community organizations is making a difference.

Pregnancy: Laying the foundation for healthier outcomes

Access to quality prenatal care from the start is crucial. Without early and regular visits, women face higher complication risks, and their babies are more susceptible to low birth weight and increased infant mortality. Merck for Mothers, which has reached more than 34 million women worldwide through programs promoting safe, high-quality, respectful care, created the Safer Childbirth Cities initiative to address this. The initiative helps 20 city-based coalitions across the U.S. implement strategies to support pregnant people.

For example, in New Jersey, where our company is headquartered, the Trenton Health Team provides safe transportation to clinics so women can access crucial prenatal care. In San Francisco, SisterWeb doulas are empowering mothers to advocate for themselves and access necessary care. These initiatives are part of a growing national movement setting a precedent for broader, transformative change.

Safe delivery: Vital solutions for improving maternal health

More than half of pregnancy-related maternal deaths occur after delivery, often because of latent co-morbidities like hypertension and diabetes.

A significant challenge is lack of awareness about postpartum risks and warning signs. To combat this, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, supported by Merck for Mothers, has launched the Post-Birth Warning Signs education program, equipping health care providers, parents and families with crucial knowledge about post-delivery complications, empowering them to act swiftly.

Simultaneously, efforts like the Hear Her campaign are amplifying women’s voices, raising awareness about the importance of speaking up.

Postpartum: Navigating challenges with comprehensive support

The postpartum period, especially in the first 12 weeks — also coined the “fourth trimester” — is a time of not only physical recovery but also substantial emotional and social adjustment. The needs of mothers during this period are often overlooked, with limited access to mental health resources exacerbating the problem.

Efforts are being made to strengthen screening for perinatal mood disorders. For instance, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, in part through support from Merck for Mothers, developed The Lifeline for Moms Perinatal Mental Health Tool Kit, a comprehensive resource with actionable information, algorithms and clinical insights to help obstetric providers effectively address perinatal mental health conditions.

Economic factors can further intensify postpartum challenges. With support from Merck for Mothers, Baby2Baby is expanding its maternal health and newborn supply kit program, providing essential items like diapers and breastfeeding supplies. By easing financial burdens, the organization helps enable mothers to focus on their health and their baby’s well-being.

The path forward

Transforming maternal health requires more than medical intervention — it requires a cultural and systemic shift toward wraparound, person-centered care at every stage, plus collective action.

“Working together, we can create a system that truly values and helps protect the health of all mothers. It’s essential to focus not only on supporting health care providers but also on supporting friends, family, and the broader community—the entire village of care surrounding pregnant women.”

How collaboration can help enable early detection of lung cancer

“This work highlights the power of collaboration between advocacy and industry. Together, we’re helping to build a path for the future where every person at risk receives timely information and resources, empowering them to lead healthier lives.”

How wearable technology powers patient-focused drug development

What are digital clinical measures, and why do we use them?

“Digital clinical measures can augment traditional study endpoints and allow us to collect richer, more frequent data that better reflect how patients live and function day to day.”

Collaborating to advance the field of digital measures

Digital clinical measures in action in Parkinson's disease

Our Q4 and full-year 2025 financial results

5 ways we’re transforming artificial intelligence into impact

Here are five ways we’re using AI to drive our purpose of saving and improving lives around the world.

Accelerating the discovery of new medicines

Optimizing clinical trials

Automating workflows to improve productivity

Modernizing manufacturing

Streamlining education and engagement with health care providers

It all starts with data

Acting early in cancer detection

What is early-stage cancer?

The stages of cancer

Exploring the potential use of PET tracers in neurodegenerative disease research

Alpha-synuclein: A biomarker for Parkinson’s disease

Exploring noninvasive early detection for neurodegenerative disease

Building trust and advancing inclusion: Our approach to clinical trials in Uganda

Why is inclusion important in HIV clinical trials?

Why is it important to include women in HIV clinical research, especially in countries like Uganda?

What’s the role of local communities in HIV prevention clinical trials?

What are some other ways Merck is supporting clinical trial participants?

5 historical designations highlight groundbreaking scientific achievements

A landmark event in cardiovascular medicine

Discovery and development of medicines for the treatment of HIV

Development of a treatment against a debilitating infectious disease transmitted by parasites

Addressing vitamin deficiencies through the synthesis and mass production of vitamin B

Producing large-scale quantities of penicillin, a much-needed antibiotic during WWII

Our history

“We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits.”

This red chair is a reminder that patients can’t wait

“Every day, someone’s relying on us. We need to make sure we’re doing everything possible so they can have access to our products in a timely manner.”

The red chair: an urgent reminder to elevate the patient voice

“When I’m thinking about a decision I’m making or work I’m doing, I think, ‘What if the patient was sitting right next to me? What would they be thinking and how would they want me to work with urgency for them?’”

A growing grassroots effort inspires new ways to put patients first

A history and a future of putting patients first

We’re helping build a brighter future for maternal health in America

Too many women face obstacles at each stage of the pregnancy journey — but hope is on the horizon

Pregnancy: Laying the foundation for healthier outcomes

Safe delivery: Vital solutions for improving maternal health

Postpartum: Navigating challenges with comprehensive support

The path forward

Related links

Forward-looking statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA