Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of certain types of cervical cancer and other cancers in men and women
August 15, 2024
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What is human papillomavirus (HPV)?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S. There are many different types of HPV.
For most people, HPV clears on its own. But for the very few who do not clear the virus, it can cause certain cancers and other diseases in both men and women. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know who will or will not clear the virus.
What cancers and diseases can be caused by HPV?
HPV can cause certain types of:
cervical cancers
anal cancers
vulvar cancers
vaginal cancers
head and neck cancers
genital warts
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2016 and 2020, tens of thousands of people in the U.S. were diagnosed with certain HPV-related cancers each year.
The impact of HPV-related cancers
Between 2016 and 2020, CDC estimates:
60-70%
of all oropharyngeal cancer (found in the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils) may be caused by HPV
~11,900
new HPV-related cervical cancer cases occur in the U.S. each year
“There are steps people can take to be proactive about their health. Men and women should speak with their health care providers to learn more about the link between HPV and certain cancers and diseases.”
— Mel Kohn, M.D., M.P.H., executive director of medical affairs, Merck
The World Health Organization’s movement towards cervical cancer elimination
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women globally. Important steps have been taken to achieve a world where fewer women are affected by cervical cancer, but more needs to be done.
In 2020, the World Health Assembly adopted the global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.
To help achieve this goal, the WHO provides guidance and tools to support countries in implementing strategies and addressing challenges associated with cervical cancer prevention.
For more information about HPV, certain related cancers and potential preventive measures, men and women should speak with their health care providers.
Learn more about what the measles virus is and how measles spreads
August 13, 2024
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What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can affect people of all ages but is most common in children. The virus lives in the mucus of the nose and throat of an infected person.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus.
Common measles symptoms include:
High fever
(may spike to more than 104°F)
Cough
Runny nose
Red, watery eyes
(conjunctivitis)
Spots in mouth
(2-3 days after symptoms begin)
Rash
(3-5 days after symptoms begin)
How measles spreads
Is measles airborne?
The measles virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace after an infected person leaves an area.
How contagious is measles?
If one person has measles, up to 90% of
unvaccinated people close to that person will also become infected.
How long is measles contagious for?
Infected people can spread measles to others four days before through four days after the rash appears.
How long is the measles incubation period?
After being exposed to the measles virus, it can incubate for up to 21 days.
Does measles cause complications?
Measles can cause health complications. Common complications include ear infections and diarrhea. Serious complications include pneumonia and encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain). Measles may impact the daily lives of patients and their caretakers (e.g., can result in lost work time or missed school days).
Measles can be serious and lead to complications
About 1 in 5unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles are hospitalized.
As many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles get pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
Approximately1 to 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications.
Understanding measles outbreaks
Before the vaccine became available in 1963, an estimated 3 to 4 million Americans contracted measles each year, and an estimated 48,000 people in the U.S. were hospitalized and there were approximately 400 to 500 deaths annually.
Endemic (regularly occurring within an area or community) measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
2019 saw the greatest number of measles cases reported in the U.S. since 1992.
2024 has seen continuous measles outbreaks with 13 measles outbreaks as of July reported across the U.S.
Measles cases have been rising in the U.S.
As of July 2024, 167 cases of measles were confirmed in the U.S.
When you’re contagious with measles, up to 90% of the people around you who are not vaccinated will also become infected.
In the U.S., measles cases can originate from international travel as the disease remains common in many parts of the world. Typically, 2 out of 3 of travelers with measles are unvaccinated Americans re-entering the country.
As seen by the recent outbreaks across the country, measles can spread rapidly, and infected individuals can spread measles to other people who are not immune.
For more information, including the latest statistics on outbreaks, speak with your doctor or visit the CDC website.
Merck’s (NYSE: MRK) Q2 2024 results demonstrate strong business momentum and further progress in our diverse pipeline. Our company announced worldwide sales of $16.1 billion, an increase of 7% from Q2 2023.
“Our business is demonstrating strong momentum as we exit the first half of the year,” said Rob Davis, chairman and chief executive officer. “Through excellent scientific, commercial and operational execution, we’re achieving significant milestones for our company and for patients. I am proud of our dedicated teams around the world that are working tirelessly to advance our deep pipeline as we continue delivering innovation that solves unmet medical needs.”
Merck anticipates full-year 2024 worldwide sales to be between $63.4 billion and $64.4 billion.
Our former CEO Dr. Roy Vagelos honored for role in helping China combat hepatitis B
We’re proud of his recognition and our continued commitment to global health
July 16, 2024
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It’s a moment that’s woven into our company’s history, and one that exemplifies our commitment to putting people before profits.
In 1989, when hepatitis B was the largest public health challenge in China, our company shared a manufacturing process to help the Chinese government address this public health need. This cooperation, led by then-CEO Dr. Roy Vagelos, helped millions at a time when they needed it most.
For his role in helping the people of China, Vagelos recently received the first-ever Elimination Champion Legacy Award from the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE), a program of The Task Force for Global Health. Vagelos was honored alongside Professor Zhao Kai, who helped lead China’s participation in the technology transfer.
“Dr. Roy Vagelos and Professor Zhao Kai are fully deserving of the first Legacy Awards as Hepatitis Elimination Champions,” said Dr. John W. Ward, director of the CGHE.
By 2009, China’s vaccination program made possible by this technology transfer prevented over 24 million infections and over 4 million future deaths, according to estimates cited by the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination. Vagelos’ leadership exemplifies our company’s legacy of collaboration and the work we do every day to address some of the world’s most pressing public health challenges.
Here for Good: A steadfast commitment to health equity
How one colleague’s upbringing and career journey have motivated her to fight inequities around the world
June 10, 2024
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N52GL-nIeDA
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For Priya Agrawal, health equity has been a lifelong concern and a guiding principle in the work she’s done across industries.
As a young girl growing up in central London, Agrawal saw firsthand how inequities even within her own extended family could drastically impact health outcomes.
“I watched my father’s side of the family — who lived in London — live with diabetes, but I watched my mother’s side of the family — who lived in North India — die of diabetes,” Agrawal said. “It took me a while to figure out that it was my father’s family’s access to the National Health Service that made the difference.”
That early insight propelled Agrawal into a career as an obstetrician and gynecologist before moving into public health. Now vice president in charge of international health equity and partnerships, Agrawal first joined our company to help launch Merck for Mothers, a global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life. From there, she went on to a variety of roles — from lead of our vaccines and contraceptives business in the U.K. to managing director of South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa cluster to global head of HPV vaccines.
Agrawal’s work — and the passion that fuels it — continues, and she has no plans to stop.
“My purpose in life is to advance health equity. I want to be able to say that I did all I could to ensure more people could both survive and thrive because they had easier access to health.”
How we’re advancing the best internal and external science to progress our pipeline for patients
May 30, 2024
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Drug development is a long and difficult endeavor. It can take more than 10 years to bring a new medicine to market. So how does our company think about developing new medicines and vaccines to help save and improve lives? The answer: through our One Pipeline strategy, where we complement our internal innovation and discovery efforts with the best external science through business development.
“Our One Pipeline strategy enables us to advance breakthrough science, whether it comes from our own labs or from our partners’ labs, and make medicines and vaccines for patients,” said Dr. Dean Li, president, Merck Research Laboratories (MRL). “Every day, we’re pushing scientific boundaries in research. Business development and external partnerships are integral to help drive our internal pipeline and to provide access to assets that are important for our discovery and clinical development groups.”
To achieve that balance, MRL works in lockstep with our business development and licensing (BD&L) team. “I want to emphasize how integrated BD&L is with MRL. This is hand in glove,” said Li.
Business development augments our pipeline
Our BD&L team is committed to securing scientific and commercial collaborations, licensing agreements and acquisitions from discovery to late-stage candidates and new technologies to help build our robust portfolio. We have a legacy of successful collaborations and are among the most active dealmakers in the biopharma industry.
“We match our strong scientific conviction with bold investments in novel, cutting-edge science to advance new options for patients,” said Sunil Patel, senior vice president, head of corporate development and BD&L. “We’re focused on bringing in the best external science to complement our internal efforts to deliver on our purpose and sustain our company for the next 130 years.”
~$50B
Invested towards business development since 2019.
~80
Significant transactions executed annually across technologies, modalities, therapeutic areas and phases of development.
The BD&L team members focused on our pipeline are embedded with scientists across our research network and, in addition to our New Jersey and Pennsylvania sites, they’re strategically located in key epicenters of innovation including Boston, Cambridge, London, South San Francisco, Shanghai and Tokyo. The team searches the globe for cutting-edge science and works alongside our research team to evaluate opportunities built on strong scientific principles, regardless of location or origin.
Creating a sustainable innovation engine
As part of our One Pipeline strategy, we ensure a smooth transition when bringing in external science and leverage our clinical development and manufacturing expertise to advance each program with speed and rigor. This strategy is helping to build and maintain the flow of novel candidates through clinical development to patients, enabling long-term, sustainable growth for our company.
“Strategic business development focused on the best external science remains an important priority for our company. We’ve demonstrated that we can leverage our deep discovery prowess to identify important acquisition targets and then add significant value through our powerful clinical research engine, our regulatory expertise and our commercial scale, which together can serve to accelerate development and enable broad global access to important medical discoveries for patients in need,” said Rob Davis, chairman and chief executive officer.
Pipeline
We’re focused on discovering new medicines and vaccines for today and the future. View our pipeline.
Business development and licensing
We work with many partners, from early-stage science to clinical-stage programs, to deliver life-changing therapies. Learn more.
Innovation
Vaccine inventors, creators and innovators
Dr. Maurice Hilleman was among the pioneering scientists who made strides in vaccine history and the fight against infectious disease
May 8, 2024
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Dr. Maurice Hilleman, who led our department of virus and cell biology from 1957 to 1984.
When were vaccines invented?
The story of modern day vaccines began in 1796 when Dr. Edward Jenner inoculated 9-year-old James Phipps with cowpox as a way to protect him from smallpox. The term ‘vaccine’ is later coined, taken from the Latin word for cow, vacca. Smallpox was the first disease people tried to prevent by intentionally inoculating themselves with infected matter.
Dr. Edward Jenner inoculating 9-year-old James Phipps with cowpox.
Eight decades after Jenner published his findings, Louis Pasteur developed the first live attenuated rabies vaccine. Attenuation is a process that weakens the bacteria or virus in a vaccine so it’s less likely to cause disease, while still triggering an immune response similar to the natural infection. During the mid- to late-20th century, advances in basic and clinical research made it possible for scientists to develop vaccines to help protect against both bacterial and viral diseases.
Dr. Maurice Hilleman’s contribution to vaccine development
The names Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin have become synonymous with their inventions and developments around the polio vaccine, and the giant strides they made in the fight against viral diseases. Although these are some of the most famous names in vaccine research, Merck has a legacy of vaccine pioneers, too. Dr. Maurice Hilleman, who led Merck’s department of virus and cell biology from 1957 to 1984, also belonged to that distinguished group. Credited with helping to develop more than 40 experimental and licensed human and animal vaccines, Hilleman’s passionate commitment continues to inspire scientists in medical research laboratories to this day.
Hilleman was born and raised on a farm in Montana. It was a hard life, but a farm background was a great foundation for his later work.
“When you’re brought up on a farm, you have a lot of general knowledge,” he said. After graduating from the University of Chicago with a doctorate in microbiology and chemistry, Hilleman chose to work at a pharmaceutical company instead of academia.
Despite his many accomplishments, including helping to develop more than 40 human and animal vaccines, Hilleman’s name is virtually unknown by the general public and press. Yet his impact on public health is undeniable.
“His commitment was to make something useful and convert it to clinical use. Maurice’s genius was in developing vaccines, reliably reproducing them, and he was in charge of all pharmaceutical facets from research to the marketplace.”
Dr. Paul Offit Director of the Vaccine Education Center, professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Hilleman’s biographer
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan awarded Hilleman the National Medal of Science, and in 1997, he was honored with the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal Award. Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, called Hilleman “one of the true giants of science, medicine and public health in the 20th century.”
We've been working to discover and develop vaccines for more than a century
May 8, 2024
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“An epidemic of diphtheria is almost inevitable here. Stop. I am in urgent need of one million units of diphtheria antitoxin. Stop. Mail is only form of transportation. Stop.”
Dr. Curtis Welch
This was the desperate radio telegram in January 1925 from Dr. Curtis Welch in Nome, Alaska, to all the major Alaska towns, to territorial governor Scott Bone in Juneau, and to the U.S. Public Health Service in Washington, D.C. Diphtheria was spreading through the icebound community. Children had already died, and the local supply of diphtheria antitoxin had expired the previous summer.
Known as the “Great Race of Mercy,” it’s an iconic story of human compassion.
Weather prevented delivery by air, so relay teams of sled dogs and their mushers raced against the clock to deliver 300,000 units of antitoxin, which was produced by Merck legacy company H.K. Mulford. They completed the 674-mile journey over what later became known as the Iditarod Trail in a record-breaking five days and seven hours despite whiteout conditions and temperatures of 50 degrees below zero.
674 miles
5 days
300,000 units
Over 130 years of vaccine leadership
In 1895, the H.K. Mulford Company began marketing the first commercially available diphtheria antitoxin in the U.S., the very medication that helped avert the diphtheria epidemic in Nome. Today, we have a significant presence in vaccine discovery, development and distribution in both human and animal health.
The vaccine pioneers
Merck’s Dr. Maurice Hilleman belongs to a distinguished group of vaccine pioneers — including Edward Jenner, Louis Pasteur, Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin. Hilleman is credited with helping to develop more than 40 vaccines and his impact on public health is undeniable.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider vaccines to be one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. In the U.S., vaccines are now available for a number of infectious diseases that once routinely affected people. While there are many vaccines available for children, it’s important to remember that adults also are susceptible to vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.
Each year in the U.S., thousands of adults suffer complications from these diseases. In low- and middle-income countries the toll is even higher.
Protecting public health is a worldwide challenge
Outside the U.S., we’re working with national health ministries and non-government agencies to help write new chapters in the public health success story through collaborations, donation programs, and technology transfer agreements.
Merck for Mothers: Expanding access to quality maternal care
More than a decade of strategic partnerships, private sector innovation and data-driven impact are helping create a world where no woman has to die while giving life
May 7, 2024
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According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, a maternal death occurs almost every two minutes. Nearly 95% of all maternal deaths occur in low- and lower-middle income countries, and most could have been prevented.
If we don’t do more, mothers, daughters and granddaughters will continue to lose their lives. And their loss will impact many.
The birth of Merck for Mothers
In response to this crisis, our company created Merck for Mothers, a $650 million global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life.
“By helping address one of the oldest and most preventable global health tragedies, we believe Merck for Mothers will have an important impact on society,” said Ken Frazier, Merck’s then-chairman and CEO, as he introduced this program at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2011.
Merck for Mothers began its mission by joining the UN and collaborators around the globe to apply its scientific and business expertise to help save women’s lives, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 births by 2030. Achieving this goal would save the lives of approximately 1.4 million women between 2016 and 2030.
A sustainable model to make a difference for generations
Focused on advancing high-quality maternity care, harnessing innovations for maternal health and catalyzing solutions that respond to local needs, Merck for Mothers aims to make a difference for women and their communities now and in the future.
Women around the world die during pregnancy and childbirth for a variety of reasons, including a lack of medical supplies or inadequate health care services to address complications. Other times, it’s due to delays in seeking care or difficulties getting to a medical facility. Sometimes, women can’t afford to pay for health services. And often, women do not have information about or access to contraceptives to help them make their own decisions about whether or not to become pregnant.
Merck for Mothers takes a holistic approach to addressing the many factors that impact maternal health. It collaborates across sectors — working with governments, nongovernmental organizations, patient groups, professional associations, entrepreneurs, UN agencies, research institutions, businesses and even other pharmaceutical companies. The initiative also supports innovations across digital, finance, products and policy, and strives to leverage the private sector for public good. Engaging local stakeholders in designing, implementing and evaluating solutions plays an important role in creating sustainable improvements.
"We believe investing in maternal health care is a pathway to better health for all."
Jacquelyn Caglia
Director of learning, communications and U.S. programs, Merck for Mothers
“Working closely with our collaborators, we’re taking a holisitic approach to address inequities that impact maternal health, reflecting our company’s commitment to expanding access to health and advancing health equity around the world,” said Jacquelyn Caglia, director of learning, communications and U.S. programs, Merck for Mothers. “The impact we’ve made reflects our team’s dedication and the incredible efforts of community-based organizations globally. There’s still much to be done, which is why we’re focused on building on our learnings and scaling our impact.”
Making an impact and the ripple effect
Merck for Mothers has worked alongside more than 165 grantees and collaborators in more than 70 countries to find, test, scale and sustain solutions to reduce maternal mortality.
“Our programs directly reach women and health systems. Since 2011, we’ve reached more than 30 million women globally, helping them have healthier pregnancies and safer childbirths through programs promoting high-quality and respectful care — surpassing our goal of reaching 25 million women by 2025,” said Mark Allen, director of global programs & strategic partnerships, Merck for Mothers.
160M+
people reached through improved access to quality facilities
30M+
women with access to programs supporting safe, high quality, respectful care
397,000
providers with improved training
And, research shows that investing in maternal health can have a ripple effect. Better maternal health care is a pathway to a lifetime of benefits, both for a woman’s own health and prosperity as well as that of her children, family, community and nation.
Infants are 15 times more likely to survive
Children are 10 times more likely to finish school
Millions of dollars are contributed by women to the economy
“When we invest in maternal health, we ensure that hundreds of thousands of women survive pregnancy and childbirth. When that happens, newborns are more likely to survive, children are more likely to stay in school, women are able to make invaluable contributions to their communities and the workforce, health systems are stronger and nations’ economies grow,” saidAllen. “We call this the ‘Mom Effect.'”
And, that’s an important impact on society for generations to come.
Merck for Mothers and PATH collaborate to identify game-changing technologies
Spearheaded by top scientists from Merck for Mothers and the global nonprofit, PATH, this unique alliance evaluated promising technologies that address the two leading causes of maternal mortality — post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) and preeclampsia — as well as family planning. This collaboration surfaced the ideas of focusing on a heat-stable uterotonic (carbetocin) to address excessive bleeding during childbirth and optimizing magnesium sulfate administration for pregnant women with preeclampsia – two initiatives that we continue to fund today.
2012
Merck for Mothers joins new global partnership — Saving Mothers, Giving Life
This public-private partnership focuses on helping mothers during labor, delivery and the first 24 hours following birth, when an estimated two-thirds of maternal deaths and almost half of infant deaths occur. With a pledge of more than $200 million, the partnership began with programs in Uganda and Zambia, where maternal mortality rates are disproportionately high.
2013
Merck for Mothers launches $10 million initiative in India
This initiative to improve access to maternal health services will reach nearly 500,000 pregnant women in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand — all areas with high rates of maternal deaths.
Global health, development and business leaders announce new innovative financing partnership
This partnership leverages private sector funding to speed up delivery and access to life-saving health supplies, such as contraceptives, bed nets, and medicines to those in need. Through Pledge Guarantee for Health (PGH), this new financing mechanism helps increase the impact of each dollar of donor funding and ultimately improve health care access and outcomes for the millions who are helped by foreign aid.
Through the partnership, Merck and other private sector suppliers step up to provide up-front price discounts to aid recipients who utilize PGH to purchase their life-saving health supplies.
Merck for Mothers launches programs in the U.S.
The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 1990. More than 50,000 women a year — one every 10 minutes — nearly die from severe complications they experience during pregnancy or childbirth. With an initial commitment of $6 million, these programs aim to enhance community care initiatives for high-risk women before, during and after childbirth; implement standard approaches to address obstetric emergencies; and strengthen data collection and reviews to better understand why maternal deaths occur and how to improve practices and patient care.
2014
Merck, Ferring Pharmaceuticals and WHO announce collaboration to prevent excessive bleeding in women after childbirth
Merck, Ferring Pharmaceuticals and WHO collaborate to advance a new, proprietary formulation of carbetocin to prevent excessive bleeding in women after childbirth. A primary benefit of carbetocin is its ability to remain stable at room temperature, even in hot and tropical climates, unlike oxytocin, the standard medicine administered for the prevention of PPH. Oxytocin is temperature-sensitive and requires sustained cold distribution and storage, which is difficult to achieve in many of these areas of high maternal mortality.
2015
Merck for Mothers explores digital technologies to mobilize maternal health
Merck for Mothers commits resources to invent or enhance existing solutions to tackle some of the most critical obstacles standing in the way of delivering quality maternity care and contraceptive services in low- and middle-income countries. This commitment leads to a new wave of smart, innovative apps and digital platforms – like the Safe Delivery App, mDoc, Project iDeliver, AskNivi, MomCare, Together for Her Health, among others.
Merck and Merck for Mothers help advance a new set of UN global goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are formally adopted at the 70th UNGA. They represent the international community’s aspirations for improving the lives of the world’s poorest people by 2030.
Merck for Mothers has now reached 5 million women worldwide through its programs
2016
Employees across the globe join the fight to end maternal mortality
Employee volunteers participate in activities such as assembling post-natal kits for soon-to-be mothers in Uganda as a means of encouraging them to seek care to support healthy pregnancies and deliveries. The kits include essential supplies to aid the health and safety of a mother and newborn after birth. This activity, among others, become annual events where employees can help amplify our impact.
Merck for Mothers’ collaborators complete their first maternity waiting home in Zambia
Maternity waiting homes — residences located near health facilities where pregnant women can stay before they go into labor — can make all the difference for pregnant women in rural Zambia, where the distance between home and a health facility can be a matter of life and death.
2017
Merck for Mothers teams up with stakeholders across India to launch Manyata
Merck for Mothers, Jhpiego India and the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India partnered to launch Manyata – an ambitious agenda to improve quality of maternity and newborn care services in private facilities by training doctors, nursing and administrative staff on essential clinical, facility and patient care protocols in India.
Merck for Mothers commits $10 million and business expertise to the Global Financing Facility
In support of the UN Secretary-General’s Every Woman Every Child strategy to improve maternal and child health in low- and lower-middle-income countries, the goal is to prevent an estimated 3.8 million maternal deaths, 101 million child deaths and 21 million stillbirths by 2030. Merck is the first private sector investor and helped bring other private sector investors to the table.
Merck for Mothers launches the world’s first maternal and newborn health development bond with public and private sector collaborators
The UtkrishtDevelopment Impact Bond leverages private investor capital to incentivize private maternity providers in Rajasthan, India to improve the quality of care they deliver. Interventions will reach up to 600,000 pregnant women with improved care during delivery and could lead up to 10,000 lives being saved over a five-year period.
2018
Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Merck announce completion of carbetocin clinical trial, the largest clinical trial ever conducted in postpartum hemorrhage
The trial of heat-stable carbetocin showed it to be as safe and effective as oxytocin in preventing postpartum hemorrhage, the largest direct cause of maternal death. The trial included nearly 30,000 women from 10 countries.
“This has the potential to change the paradigm in how we save more mothers from dying during childbirth,” said Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, Merck’s then-chief patient officer.
Merck announces new U.S. initiative — Safer Childbirth Cities
Through this initiative, Merck for Mothers will provide grants to help cities with poor maternal health outcomes develop and implement creative, multi-sector solutions to save women’s lives, improve maternal health and narrow racial disparities.
Merck for Mothers publishes first research compendium to advance collective understanding of maternal mortality
The research compendium, Evidence for Impact, collates actionable and real-time evidence about what works and what doesn’t to expand knowledge that will help encourage greater investment in women’s health. Merck for Mothers publishes a second compendium in 2020.
2019
Merck for Mothers has now reached 10 million women worldwide through its programs
The MOMs (Maternal Outcomes Matters) Initiative launched
A partnership between Merck for Mothers, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Credit Suisse and USAID to stimulate, advance and scale innovations that contribute to a healthy pregnancy and safe childbirth. It will invest $50M in local businesses that are working to improve maternal health in regions of the world where high rates of women are dying from pregnancy and childbirth. (Photo credit: LifeBank)
2020
Merck for Mothers provides funding to help support the CDC’s new maternal health communication campaign, Hear Her
Hear Her brings attention to maternal mortality and provides support to pregnant and postpartum women to speak up when something doesn’t feel right.
Merck commits $3M to address maternal health needs during COVID-19 pandemic
2021
Merck announces fifth round of global grants to tackle maternal mortality and promote health equity worldwide
Merck for Mothers supports the corporate grant program which enables Merck offices around the world to aid nongovernmental organizations that are improving maternal health. The program responds to local women’s needs, focusing on how resources can increase health equity in maternity care and support.
Merck announces additional $150M investment through 2025 to help end maternal mortality inequities, building on the $500M commitment made in 2011
This investment comes at a pivotal time for the global health community as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to stretch health systems, disrupting networks of care that support healthy pregnancies and safe childbirth.
2022
Merck for Mothers launches Strengthening Systems for Safer Childbirth Coalitions
This global initiative is supporting locally driven solutions with coalitions across India, Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The coalitions lead activities to advance health equity by improving access to high-quality maternal health care for underserved or underrepresented groups.
Merck for Mothers debuts new report examining how transformational impact can be made in maternal health
The report highlights six social investments whose solutions have demonstrated transformational impact on maternal health in different contexts — each with funding from Merck for Mothers. Learn more about the report.
Merck for Mothers supports organizations in Latin America
With a sixth round of global grants, Merck for Mothers supports organizations in Latin America, where wide disparities in maternal health outcomes persist. Through the grants, we aim to reach 135,000 women throughout Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Mexico.
Merck for Mothers has reached more than 30 million women around the world
Through programs promoting safe, high-quality, respectful care, Merck for Mothers has now reached more than 30 million women, surpassing its goal of reaching 25 million women by 2025. Learn more
New grants help women in southeastern Europe
Latest round of global grants supports UNICEF through innovative projects designed to meet the unique local needs of women in Bulgaria and Serbia. Learn more
We believe solutions to end maternal mortality and improve the quality of maternity care should be rooted in women’s voices and experiences
Strategic partnerships, private sector innovation and data-driven impact
Our work continues in order to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life
Podcast: A candid conversation about diversity in clinical trials
Hear a patient and a doctor share why they want more people involved in medical studies
May 2, 2024
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Clinical trials are an important part of helping to ensure new medicines are safe and effective. Yet a lack of awareness and feelings of hesitancy about joining one persist.
Some people are uncertain about medical research due to past studies like the Tuskegee Experiment, when Black men were denied treatment for syphilis in the 1930s. Today, many are cautious when receiving advice from members of the medical community, including their doctors.
Euvon Jones — a motivational artist, proud father and husband and a former clinical trial participant — hadn’t thought much about clinical trials before his diagnosis with prostate cancer, but he eventually decided to participate in a study to advance knowledge of the condition not only for himself but also for his community.
In this podcast, Jones joined Adrelia Allen, executive director of clinical trial patient diversity at our company, and Dr. Renee Matthews, director of live programming and production at BlackDoctor.org,toshare the factors that impacted his decision to participate in a clinical trial and how that experience changed his perspective on medical research.
Jones said it’s hard to trust the process if you don’t trust your health care provider or the person recommending a clinical trial. “Good information might be provided, but you have to trust that the information is good for you,” he said.
Additionally, Matthews discussed how misinformation perpetuates stigma around clinical trials and the work that her organization is doing to help instill confidence in people who are considering participating in clinical trials.
Forward-looking statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA
This website of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
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