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Merck Publishes New Consumer Health Guide to Help Patients Make the Most of Their Annual Doctor's Visit

Posted on: Monday, 28 August 2006, 09:00 CDT

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck & Co., Inc. announced today the launch of a new free information resource for consumers -- the Guide to Making the Most of Your Annual Doctor's Visit -- a tool to help patients more effectively communicate with their doctors. Consumers can receive a copy of the Guide to Making the Most of Your Annual Doctor's Visit free-of-charge by visiting http://www.yourhealthnow.com/ or by calling (888) MERCK-38 (888-637-2538).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060828/NYM007 )

"Many people arrive at a visit unprepared and forget to ask their doctors important questions," says Dr. Robert Berkow, editor emeritus of The Merck Manuals, the world's best-selling medical reference. "Open communication with your physician can help identify potential health problems when they are still preventable and easily treatable."

An annual physical is the one time people get a full assessment of their overall health. The Guide to Making the Most of Your Annual Doctor's Visit, which was created with the input of doctors and patients, advises people to spend a few minutes before each doctor's visit thinking about any recent changes in health or questions to be discussed with their doctor. This preparation can help patients have a more productive visit with their doctor and also can ensure that people do not leave the office with questions they forgot to ask, says Berkow.

The concise 12-page pocket Guide also encourages patients to record their doctor's advice and provides space to track health goals along with a notes section. "Following your doctors' advice is critical in maintaining and improving health," says Dr. Berkow. "But when people don't remember exactly what their doctor said, or forget altogether, important recommendations can be overlooked."

"At Merck, we are committed to putting the patient first, and part of this commitment includes providing credible, unbiased health information, such as the Guide to Making the Most of Your Annual Doctor's Visit," says Maggie Kohn, Director of Corporate Responsibility Communications. "This Guide will serve as an important tool for both patients and their doctors."

The Guide to Making the Most of Your Annual Doctor's Visit follows the launch of the Guide to Affordable Medicine, a consumer resource that provides information on how to navigate the various government and private programs that offer medicines at a discount or for free. Merck is making both Guides available free-of-charge as part of the Company's commitment to provide health information resources to the public, which began in 1899 with the publication of the first Merck Manual.

The Guide to Making the Most of Your Annual Doctor's Visit will be distributed to doctors' offices throughout the United States and local community health organizations. For more information about the Guide to Making the Most of Your Annual Doctor's Visit and other Merck publications, including the Guide to Affordable Medicine, visit http://www.yourhealthnow.com/.

About Merck

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck 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 also 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 http://www.merck.com/.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release 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 press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck's business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements in Item 1 of Merck's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004, and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060828/NYM007

Merck & Co., Inc.

CONTACT: Media: Chris Loder, +1-908-423-3786, or Maggie Kohn,+1-908-423-5655, Investor: Graeme Bell, +1-908-423-5185, all for Merck & Co.,Inc.

Web site: http://www.merck.com/http://www.yourhealthnow.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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