Merck’s Guiding Principles for Ethical Business Practices with the medical and scientific community include:

• We provide current, accurate and balanced information about Merck products, we transmit sound scientific and educational information, and we support medical research and education.
• Merck employees are prohibited from offering healthcare professionals items of personal benefit, such as tickets to sporting events, support for office social events or gift certificates to stores or golf outings. Where permitted, we may occasionally provide healthcare professionals with approved educational items that are not of substantial monetary value and that are intended primarily for educational purposes. Such materials may include medical textbooks, medical journals or anatomical models.
• Merck employees and others speaking on Merck's behalf may provide presentations and discussions specifically designed to provide the type of information that practicing medical and healthcare professionals have indicated to Merck that they need and find most useful in the treatment of their patients, in accordance with FDA regulations and regulations of other countries. In connection with such presentations or discussions, occasional modest meals may be offered to attendees and must occur in a venue and manner conducive to informational communication.
• A Merck representative may offer occasional modest meals to healthcare professionals in connection with an informational presentation; however, such meals must be in accordance with local codes and regulations.

Our sales representatives must provide truthful, non-misleading information in their interactions with the medical and scientific community. Our compliance program is consistent with applicable laws and regulations, and is aligned with the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices, as well as with regional and country industry codes, such as the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Code and the Compliance Program Guidance for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, published by the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Learn more about Merck’s Code of Conduct and its enforcement.