+ Health

In partnership with China’s Ministry of Health, Merck sponsors the largest health education program in the field of thyroid disease in China to date. Thyroid disease is the second largest endocrinology disease category. Between 10% and 20% of women over 40 years old suffer from some type of thyroid disease. However, only 5% of people with a thyroid disease have been treated in China. Merck’s collaboration with the Chinese Ministry of Health, involving funding of around € 3 million, is focused on promoting research and education in the area of thyroid diseases and assists the authorities in handling biopharmaceuticals. The MOH-Merck Serono China Thyroid Disease Education Program, operational from 2009-2011, aims to raise awareness of thyroid disease through public education and improve the level of diagnosis and treatment via physician training.

During the International Thyroid Awareness Week in 2009 and 2010, Merck Serono performed free screenings and mobilized almost 3,000 experts in endocrinology, nuclear medicine and surgery to provide free consulting services for over 72,000 persons.

In partnership with the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and the National Development Research Institute of Beijing University, Merck Serono China launched the ‘Chinese Pharmaceutical Association – Merck Serono China Hospital Pharmacy Leadership, Management and Development Project’ in 2009. This ongoing project offers a three-day leadership and management training workshop to China’s hospital pharmacy professionals to improve health care and ultimately benefit patients. A total of 16 training workshops attended by around 1,100 individuals have been held to date, targeting second and third tier hospitals in all Chinese provinces and municipalities.

Merck has been supporting the humanitarian aid organization “AR MADA“ for seven years. “AR MADA“ stands for Aller-Retour Madagascar. Every year, it organizes a total of ten two-week missions with 40 health professionals to offer medical treatment to the people of Madagascar. Apart from financial support, the aid organization receives logistic and communication support from Merck. Since 1999, various physicians from “AR MADA“ have treated more than 100,000 people with a variety of complaints and illnesses. Cleaning and caring for wounds, the treatment of worm diseases as well as tooth extraction are on the daily work agenda of the medical staff. The team of surgeons, dermatologists, general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and helpers normally use village schools and other public buildings as doctors’ offices. Every year, one Merck MF employee takes part to a mission to Madagascar.

In order to raise the level of medical care and health standards in Pakistan, Merck constructed a 12-bed-hospital at Baba Bhit (two islands which are located in the harbour of Karachi). In partnership with the City District Government of Karachi, which provided the land free of charge, Merck fully financed all construction. The center operates facilities for in- and outpatient care, an operating theatre, incubator room, and consultation offices. It was inaugurated in November 2006 and Merck continues to fund all medical staff, operating costs and administration. The center serves an extremely poor population of around 60,000 people on 5 islands on the outskirts of Karachi.

Since 2005, Merck Serono has been cooperating with the Swiss-based international aid organization “Terre des Hommes” to support a mother-child health program in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was one of the countries most severely affected by the tsunami in December 2004. Thousands of people died and thousands lost their homes and farmland in eastern Sri Lanka. Merck Serono is still active in Sri Lanka many years after the catastrophe, providing medical care to pregnant women and newborns. Most pregnant women normally only seek medical care or pregnancy counseling in exceptional cases. Lack of clean water and food shortages also pose a constant health hazard to infants. Accordingly, the rates of child mortality and malnutrition among infants are high. About two percent of Sri Lankan children die before their fifth birthday, which is four to five times more than in Europe. The action of “Terre des Hommes” is a community-based approach that relies on three key pillars:

Thanks to the support from Merck Serono, “Terre des Hommes” was able to build seven clinics providing basic medical care to pregnant women and babies and substantially increased the number of local counseling centers.

More than 33.4 million around the world are affected by HIV. More than 30 million of these live in the poorer regions of the world. For example, in the small South African city of Philippi, more than 40% of the population is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Since 2006, Merck has been supporting a hospice for AIDS sufferers mainly by funding the salaries of medical personnel but also by providing warm meals to the children of the hospice patients.

For more than two decades, Merck has been supporting the Phatsima Khanya HIV Clinic at an Alexandra Health Center and University Clinic.  The clinic treats more than 26,000 patients a month, many of whom are children. Apart from providing children and adolescents with food and educating them about AIDS, the clinic aims to sensitize and inform mainly young women about the disease, its consequences and potential infection routes. It is thus not only active in caring for patients and running disease awareness campaigns, but also strongly promotes HIV testing among the population. The clinic supports affected children during their school and vocational training.

The incidence of breast cancer continues to grow. Likewise, the number of multiple sclerosis patients is increasing steadily, making MS one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. Yet in addition to drug research and development, Merck is helping in the fight against these diseases in other ways. Donations and charitable events to help those affected are therefore a firm part of the social commitment of EMD Serono in the United States.

For example, EMD Serono supports the Cape Cod Getaway, a bike ride to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in the United States. The participants ride 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) in two days by bike, raising funds to support MS research and serve people with MS. More than 100 employees from EMD Serono took part in this charity ride. They raised a total of USD 185,000. The National MS Society supports and mobilizes MS patients, informing them about the latest research results. At the same time, it drives MS research forward by raising money.  EMD Serono collected donations for the fight against multiple sclerosis not only by bike, but also on foot. During the “MS Challenge Walk“ a further 30 employees collected further donations amounting to USD 30,000. The money was also donated to the National MS Society.

In addition to its outreach efforts in the fight against multiple sclerosis, EMD Serono also supports the American Cancer Society (ACS). An annual highlight is the company’s participation in the ACS Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. A team of more than 20 EMD Serono employees takes part in the five-mile walk through Boston. EMD Serono is also a sponsor of the event to support breast cancer awareness.