Access to health
Enabling access to a safe and healthy future is core to our purpose of saving and improving lives around the world.
We take an enterprise-wide approach to expanding access to health
Our approach centers around discovering and inventing health solutions, making our products available and affordable, and advancing health equity as we embed access strategies across our business.
Our global impact
Percentage of the top 20 global burdens of disease being addressed through our pipeline and products.
Percentage of countries reached around the world with our products in 2024.
People enabled to access our innovative medicines and vaccines through access solutions as of 2024.
People reached with our social investments in LMICs* or who are underserved by health care in high-income countries. We’ve surpassed the goal of reaching 50 million by 2025.
* Low- and middle-income countries
Our enterprise-wide approach in action
In alignment with our access to health guiding principles, we work to discover, develop and deliver sustainable global health solutions.
Discovery and invention
Discovering and inventing medicines and vaccines for critical medical needs
We invest in scientific innovation, including new drug modalities and formulations, to address diseases with significant global health burden, such as cardio-metabolic conditions, various types of cancer and infectious diseases.
Importantly, we begin planning to maximize the reach of our potential new medicines and vaccines early in the development process, as this is where we have the greatest opportunity to create long-term, sustainable access solutions, particularly for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Recognizing that more work is needed, we’re also committed to increasing diverse representation in our clinical trials so we can safely bring new medicines to as many people as possible.
Availability
Making our products available to those who depend on us
We manufacture and deliver a reliable, global supply of medicines and vaccines and invest in innovative digital solutions to enable timely access to them. Notably, we’re employing machine learning and blockchain technology to safeguard and help ensure the continuous supply of our products to people around the world who need them.
Affordability
Addressing barriers to affordability and enabling sustainable access
We develop and implement regional and country-specific solutions to address affordability barriers and enable sustainable access to our innovative medicines and vaccines. For example, we use customer collaborations, health care financing, employer benefit design and new community-level delivery channels to help local health systems better serve their communities.
We’re also strong advocates for sound, evidence-based public policies that ultimately serve to improve both the affordability and accessibility of medicines and vaccines.
Health equity
Strengthening health systems and addressing inequity
We integrate health equity strategies into our commercial functions and use social investments, such as strategic collaborations, philanthropy and impact investing, to help address systemic barriers to care. This includes leveraging public-private partnerships, global grants and innovative financing models to help strengthen local health systems and support the training of local health workers in LMICs.
“We cannot rest till the way has been found, with our help, to bring our finest achievements to everyone.”
An excerpt from a speech delivered by our former chairman and president, George W. Merck, at the Medical College of Virginia at Richmond on December 1, 1950.
