American Diabetes Association, Healthy Interactions and Merck Celebrate Major Milestone: 20,000 Diabetes Educators Trained

June 15, 2010

June 23, 2010

U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® Program Reaches More Than 20,000 Diabetes Educators
ALEXANDRIA, CHICAGO AND WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., June 15, 2010 – The American Diabetes Association, Healthy Interactions Inc., a global leader in health education, and Merck, a global healthcare leader, are proud to announce that more than 20,000 diabetes educators in the U.S. have been trained on the U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® tools and resources.

In 2007, the American Diabetes Association and Healthy Interactions created a collaboration to transform how healthcare professionals engage people with diabetes using a unique set of tools called Conversation Map tools. The approach used in the Conversation Map programs is one of empowerment through engagement and directly supports Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME). Rather than telling people living with diabetes what they need to know, the group-based program allows participants to come to their own conclusions through self-discovery and to create customized plans to drive behavior change. Through Merck's generous sponsorship, the Conversation Map tools have become established as a widely used means of providing DSME in the United States.

Martha M. Funnell, MS, RN, CDE, past-president, Health Care & Education, American Diabetes Association and Co-Director for the Behavioral, Clinical, and Health Systems (BCHS) Intervention Research Core at the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center commented, “The diabetes Conversation Maps are an important tool to engage patients in the learning process so that they can remember information more effectively, and use that information to guide the decisions they must make on a daily basis regarding their diabetes.”

"Providing patients the diabetes care they need includes not only effective therapies but also effective diabetes education," said Sethu Reddy, MD, MBA, Vice-President and Head of U.S. Medical Affairs, Merck. "Merck is proud to sponsor the U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® program, developed by Healthy Interactions in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association, as part of the Merck Journey for Control® program. Merck is committed to improving access to effective diabetes education in order to help improve patient health outcomes."

Since 2007, the program has achieved a number of notable milestones. In response to marketplace demand and through the collaborative efforts with the American Diabetes Association, Merck and Healthy Interactions expanded their partnership in 2008 to provide Conversation Map education tools designed and adapted for Spanish-speaking patients. In 2009, additional resources were developed for diabetes educators to use in one-on-one education sessions in order to equip individuals to continue their learning experience at home.

Within the first quarter of 2010, the program achieved another major milestone: over 20,000 diabetes educators have been trained and equipped with U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® tools.

Healthy Interactions co-founder Andrew Leong-Fern explains, “When we first began the U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® Program in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association, we hoped to reach 10,000 diabetes educators over three years. We achieved that goal in fourteen months. The demand has been incredible and is a testament to the dedication of these healthcare professionals and to Merck’s commitment to ensuring that diabetes educators have access to the resources required to change lives.”

Information about the Journey for Control® program from Merck, including the U.S. Diabetes Conversation Maps® and other resources from Healthy Interactions, will be featured at the American Diabetes Association 70th Scientific Sessions in Orlando in June. To learn more, please visit www.journeyforcontrol.com or www.healthyinteractions.com.

Healthcare professionals can register online for Conversation Map Program training at www.journeyforcontrol.com. Diabetes educators receive a complimentary Conversation Map kit at the end of the training session, and can access online support offerings at www.journeyforcontrol.com.

About Merck
Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Merck. Be well. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

About Journey for Control
Journey for Control® is Merck's comprehensive educational program designed to provide patients the information and tools they need to make lifestyle changes that lead to better self-management and improved health outcomes. For more information, visit www.JourneyforControl.com.

About the American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the Association has offices in every region of the country, providing services to hundreds of communities. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.

About Healthy Interactions, Inc. A global leader in health education, Healthy Interactions, Inc. is devoted to driving Personal Health Engagement - our term for helping individuals commit to healthier actions. We create powerful educational approaches that inspire valuable insights that change personal health behaviors. We build partnerships with leading medical and disease associations, not-for-profit organizations, corporations, and caring healthcare professionals trained in our approaches, enabling millions of people to take control of their health and live their best lives. Founded in 2003, Healthy Interactions is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA. To learn more, please visit our website at www.healthyinteractions.com.

Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the possibility that the expected synergies from the merger of Merck and Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; Merck’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck’s patents and other protections for innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health policies in the U.S. and internationally and the exposure to litigation and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck’s 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Press Contacts
Andrew Leong-Fern Healthy Interactions 419.509.3311 andrewlf@healthyinteractions.com
Justine O'Malley Merck 908.423.2021
justine.omalley@merck.com