EPA Names Merck an ENERGY STAR(R) 2006 Partner of the Year; Company Aims to Reduce Its Energy Usage by 25 Percent Through 2008.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Merck & Co., Inc. an ENERGY STAR(R) 2006 Partner of the Year for the Company's outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through effective energy management. Merck's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony on March 21 in Washington, D.C.

Merck, an ENERGY STAR partner for the past two years, was awarded this honor for its impressive results achieved through its strong commitment to corporate energy management. Merck's Global Energy Team (GET) seeks to reduce the total cost of energy ownership in an environmentally responsible manner and has initiatives targeting both demand reduction and procurement savings. For example, energy usage at Merck offices, laboratory sites and manufacturing facilities throughout North America was reduced by 8.6 percent in 2005 over the previous year. GET has adopted an aggressive, Company-wide goal of reducing energy usage by 25 percent by the end of 2008.

"Partnering with ENERGY STAR is an ideal way for Merck to promote environmental stewardship and the wise use of energy, which are essential components of corporate responsibility in today's world," said Richard T. Clark, Chief Executive Officer and President, Merck. "By encouraging the use of energy efficient practices in our global operations, ENERGY STAR is helping Merck meet its environmental commitments while producing significant savings for our Company."

Merck recognizes that climate change and greenhouse gas management is an issue of global concern. As a member of the Business Roundtable (BRT) and signatory of BRT's Climate RESOLVE Program, Merck supports the goal of enhanced voluntary company actions to control greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, the Company established a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and greenhouse gas emissions management goals. Furthermore, in 2004, Merck reduced CO2 worldwide from combustion sources and fleet vehicles by 26,000 metric tons, which is the equivalent of taking 5,732 cars off the road or the mitigation effects of planting 7,852 trees.

In 2005, with the help of ENERGY STAR, Americans saved $12 billion on their energy bills and enough peak energy to power 28 million homes. Through those savings they avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 23 million vehicles. "Buildings cause about 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions," said Kathleen Hogan, director of the EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division. "ENERGY STAR partners such as Merck are showing that their buildings can be effectively managed - with great results for their energy bills and our environment."

The ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award is given to a variety of organizations to recognize their efforts to use energy efficiently in facility operations and to integrate energy efficiency into overall organizational strategy. These award winners are selected from thousands of organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

About Merck

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

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the program offers businesses and consumers energy efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 8,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

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.