[Ip-health] Merck Press Release on Brazil CL

[Judit Rius Sanjuan]

http://www.merck.com/newsroom/press_releases/corporate/2007_0504.html

Merck & Co., Inc. Statement on Brazilian Government's Decision To Issue
Compulsory License for STOCRIN=99

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., May 4, 2007 - Merck & Co., Inc. issued the
following statement today on the Government of Brazil's decision to
issue a compulsory license for STOCRIN=99 (efavirenz):

"Merck is profoundly disappointed by the decision of the Government of
Brazil (GOB) to issue a compulsory license for STOCRIN=99 (efavirenz),
which would break Merck & Co., Inc.'s patent and make it possible for
efavirenz to be produced by a generic manufacturer.

"Merck has attempted to negotiate in good faith with the GOB, but a fair
offer on STOCRIN has been rejected. While we remain flexible and
committed to exploring a mutually acceptable agreement with the
Brazilian government to help the country achieve its objective of
universal access to treatment, we believe their action is not in the
best interests of patients in Brazil and around the world.

"Merck continues to share with the GOB the common objective of improving
the health and welfare of those living with HIV/AIDS. In fact, Merck's
global HIV pricing policy offers Brazil access to both STOCRIN=99 and
CRIXIVAN=AE at the lowest price of any country with a comparable wealth
and disease burden.

"This expropriation of intellectual property sends a chilling signal to
research-based companies about the attractiveness of undertaking risky
research on diseases that affect the developing world, potentially
hurting patients who may require new and innovative life-saving therapies.

"Research and development-based pharmaceutical companies like Merck
simply cannot sustain a situation in which the developed countries alone
are expected to bear the cost for essential drugs in both
least-developed countries and emerging markets. As such, we believe it
is essential to price our medicines according to a country's level of
development and HIV burden, thereby ensuring equitable access as well as
our ability to invest in future innovative medicines. As the world's
12th largest economy, Brazil has a greater capacity to pay for HIV
medicines than countries that are poorer or harder hit by the disease.

"This decision by the GOB will have a negative impact on Brazil's
reputation as an industrialized country seeking to attract inward
investment, and thus its ability to build world-class research and
development.

"Merck hopes the government of Brazil will reconsider its stance in the
interests of HIV patients around the world."

About Merck
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company
dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck
currently discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and
medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive
efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs
that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people
who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a
not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com
<http://www.merck.com/>.

Forward-Looking Statement
This statement contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements are based on management's current expectations and involve
risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially
from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements
may include statements regarding product development, product potential
or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed
and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck
undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this statement should be
evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck's
business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and
cautionary statements in Item 1A of Merck's Form 10-K for the year ended
Dec. 31, 2006, and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K,
which the Company incorporates by reference.



--
Judit Rius Sanjuan
Attorney
judit.rius@keionline.org

Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
www.keionline.org / www.cptech.org
1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel.: +1.202.332.2670, Ext 18 Fax: +1.202.332.2673