PRNewswire - December 1, 2003

BUCHAREST, Romania, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- On the Romanian National Day of Celebration and World AIDS Day, the Government of Romania today announced the release of "A Reason for Joy: Success Against HIV/AIDS in Romania," a video documenting Romania's progress in fighting HIV/AIDS. The video chronicles the steps Romania has taken since the fall of Communism and the subsequent collapse of the national healthcare system to achieve access to HIV care and treatment for all who need it, including thousands of children. The timing of the release signifies the importance of this accomplishment for Romania's continued development.

"I think that's one of the big lessons of Romania," said UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot, commenting in the video on the progress achieved by Romania in the fight against AIDS. "It can be done if the political will is there and if a good partnership is found with drug manufacturers, with the medical community, and with patient groups."

With thousands of orphaned infants and small children infected with HIV during the 1980s, Romania became home to more children with HIV/AIDS than any other nation in Europe. In 1997, there was little hope for these children.

Only 32 percent of patients diagnosed received treatment, and fewer than one percent were on triple combination therapy in accordance with international guidelines. Today, Romania is one of the few countries in the world, and the only one in Eastern Europe, to provide access to international standards of antiretroviral care and treatment to all those who need it.

This turnabout is the result of the Government of Romania's unwavering commitment to increase access to treatment, including a comprehensive approach to improving health care infrastructure for HIV/AIDS, outreach to a broad range of stakeholders, and partnership with the private sector, most notably Merck & Co., Inc. The public-private partnership with Merck has been a critical factor in the Government's achievements.

"A Reason for Joy," produced by RedHawk Communications in conjunction with the Government of Romania and Merck & Co., Inc., features interviews with, among others, Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS, Romanian President Ion Iliescu, Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, and Scott Evertz, Special Assistant to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Notes to editors

Merck has facilitated the implementation of Romania's national AIDS plan by supporting the publication of the first national treatment guidelines for HIV/AIDS, contributing financial support and expertise for the development of a national AIDS database, and providing a $1 million donation for the creation of a national network of regional AIDS treatment centers equipped with modern diagnostic equipment. In March 2001, the company unconditionally lowered the price of its AIDS medications Crixivan(TM) and Stocrin(TM) to levels where they make no profit, thus helping the Romanian Government to reduce the cost of HIV treatment and further expand access.

About Merck

Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, is a global research-driven pharmaceutical products and services company that discovers, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of innovative products to improve human and animal health, directly and through its joint ventures. Merck operates in most countries outside North America as Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD).

SOURCE Government of Romania, Ministry of Health

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