Merck conducts all pharmaceutical product donations in alignment with the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for Medicine Donations. In addition, Merck employees are expected to comply with our Policy and Procedure for Approval and Notifications of Donations and Support, our company’s Code of Conduct and relevant local regulations.
When Merck distributes its products directly, our local management is responsible to ensure distribution and use within labeled expiration limits, and that the products are delivered to the intended beneficiaries. Local management is also responsible to document intended delivery and that expired products have been safely destroyed in a manner that meets local regulations.
For distribution managed by an external partner, follow-up occurs with that partner to ensure compliance with the WHO Guidelines for Medicine Donations.
Merck’s major product donation is the Merck Praziquantel Donation Program (MPDP). In 2007, in conjunction with WHO, Merck agreed on a program to combat the helminthic disease schistosomiasis (also known as bilharziosis). This is the second most common tropical disease in Africa after malaria.
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We commit to supporting health-related literacy and education programs in developing countries that raise awareness among patients, health care professionals and governments and explain the benefits and proper administration of treatment.
Building capacity and infrastructure in developing countries is also a Merck priority. In this way, we want to ensure sustainable access to medicines and/or improved drug delivery and use.
Examples include the hospital that Merck runs in
Pakistan, our support for Terre des Hommes’ “
Mother-Child Health Program” in Sri Lanka and our support for the largest
health education program to date on thyroid disease in China. Within the Merck Praziquantel Donation Program, educational
material is produced and distributed in order to further strengthen the prevention of schistosomiasis.
We welcome the opportunity to work with both public and private sector partners towards donation initiatives that provide access to medicines solutions in developing countries.
We direct the majority of pharmaceutical product donations through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or multilateral bodies such as WHO. A small portion of our donations are handled locally by Merck legal entities in response to emergencies or specific requests from ministries of health and NGOs.
We report goals and performance indicators of our major donation and philanthropic activities and monitor the impact of the activities together with our project partners.
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