Being an ethical company is about much more than simply adhering to the letter of the law—but that's an important step.

As part of our long-standing commitment to ethics and good corporate citizenship, our first step is always to comply with the laws and regulations that govern the way we market and sell our medicines, vaccines and other products. We have a well-established compliance program that:

• Follows the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) Code of Practice requirements, as well as other applicable regional or country industry codes of conduct including those issued by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA)
• Seeks to prevent, detect and resolve potential violations of law or company policy
• Regularly assesses and adjusts our evolving business and compliance risks

Merck's Board of Directors and senior management, including the company's chief ethics and compliance officer and Corporate Compliance Committee, oversee the company's global compliance program, including compliance-related policies and procedures, education and training—all of which reflect the highest standards and are tailored to Merck's business and culture.