Your Health Now Magazine Launches Spanish Edition

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Your Health Now, a consumer health magazine enhanced by insights and information from The Merck Manuals, the world's most widely used medical reference books, is now available in Spanish. Merck & Co., Inc., is making the bi-monthly magazine available to consumers free-of-charge at YourHealthNow.com as part of the Company's commitment to provide health information resources, which began in 1899 with the publication of the first Merck Manual. The magazine also is available in English at YourHealthNow.com and by calling (888) MERCK-38 (888-637-2538).

"The launch of Your Health Now magazine in Spanish is a unique opportunity that provides the Spanish-speaking community with up-to-date and unbiased health information," said Jane Delgado, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association for Hispanic Health and a member of the magazine's advisory board. "With more than 31 million Spanish speakers in the United States, the Spanish-speaking community welcomes resources, such as Your Health Now."

Issues of Your Health Now have covered topics such as gastrointestinal disorders and cardiovascular health. The magazine also reviews recent medical research and offers tips on pet health based on The Merck Veterinary Manual. In addition, Your Health Now provides the latest information on how patients without drug reimbursement coverage or health insurance can get the medicines and care they need at discounted prices or free based on their financial need.

Your Health Now maintains strict editorial independence and does not promote any pharmaceutical medicines. To ensure independence, an Advisory Board of leaders from highly respected health organizations also reviews each issue to ensure that the magazine's mission of objective, relevant, consumer- friendly and non-promotional content is achieved.

"At some point, even the most educated person will encounter health information he or she cannot understand. In fact, nearly 90 million Americans have trouble understanding and using much of the health information that is available to the public," said Dr. Delgado. "People need sources of information that are both timely and easy to read. Your Health Now puts vital, understandable information at people's fingertips."

  For more information, visit 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/.

About Merck Publishing Group

For over a century, Merck Publishing, in cooperation with Merck Research Laboratories, has been dedicated to providing the best, timely and relevant resources in the world. Merck is committed to bringing out the best in medicine, and, as part of that effort, continues to proudly provide all of The Merck Manuals on a not-for-profit basis as a service to the community. Additionally, The Merck Manual, The Merck Manual of Medical Information-Home Edition, The Merck Manual of Geriatrics, and The Merck Veterinary Manual are available free on Merck's Internet site at http://www.merck.com/.

Merck 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, 2005, and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.