Merck Partners with BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS for Seek and Treat
research program to reduce HIV/AIDS incidence in BC
This investment complements the announcement also made today by BC Health Minister
Through the seek and treat research program, health professionals will expand HAART coverage (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy) and thereby the treatment and care to HIV-positive people in these marginalized communities.
"The BC-CfE is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS research, and continues to be a leader in the global effort to provide innovative therapies and healthcare strategies to combat this epidemic," said
The HAART approach, developed in part by
"Merck has been involved in AIDS research and treatment since the early nineties. As a leader in treatment for HIV/AIDS, it was natural for our organization to support
The BC-CfE initially proposed the seek and treat strategy in 2005 and published in the Lancet in 2006. Today, this made-in-B.C. strategy has won widespread acclaim within the global scientific community and endorsement from leading researchers and international health organizations such as the WHO and UNAIDS.
"Funding from Merck for our seek and treat program is critical to winning the fight against HIV/AIDS and identifying best practices for the roll out of the seek and treat strategy locally & globally. This builds on the support the BC-CfE has received from the government of BC to pilot this initiative in the province," said Montaner, who is also head of the division of AIDS in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC and President of the International AIDS Society.
More than 12,000 people in B.C. are living with HIV, many in hard-hit areas such as Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and approximately 27% of them remain undiagnosed.
"Reaching out to people living on the streets, the mentally ill, and those with addictions will help people receive the HIV care and treatment they require, save lives and prevent further infections, making seek and treat a cost-averting proposition," said Montaner.
About the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) is Canada's largest HIV/AIDS research, treatment and education facility. The BC-CfE is based at St Paul's Hospital, Providence Health Care, and a teaching hospital of the University of British Columbia. Located in
About Merck
Today's Merck is working to help the world be well. Merck is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines, consumer and animal health products. In
* Merck Frosst
Forward Looking Statement
This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the
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, due to, among other things, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and pending legislation that could affect the pharmaceutical industry; 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 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Schering-Plough's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended
For further information: Media Contact: Natacha Raphael, Merck, (514) 428-3280, M. (514) 910-3280, [email protected]; Ethan Pigott, Hill & Knowlton Canada, (416) 413-4744, M. (416) 558-2783, [email protected]; Ian Noble, Karyo Edelman (on behalf of the BC-CfE), (604) 623-3007 ext. 300, M (604) 809-9650, [email protected]
Share this article