KIRKLAND, QC, May 28, 2026 /CNW/ -- Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, congratulates the Government of Ontario for its recent regulatory amendments under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 to expand the scope of practice for pharmacy professionals. This important policy change marks a shift toward more connected, convenient care for Ontarians by increasing points of access.

Starting in July 2026, pharmacists will be able to administer six additional publicly funded vaccines for eligible Ontarians, including tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria, pneumococcal, RSV and shingles. The province is also allowing pharmacists to assess and prescribe for nine additional common ailments, such as warts, head lice, nasal congestion and dry eyes, with plans to add up to five more in early 2027.

With an estimated 91% of Ontarians living within five kilometres of a pharmacy, these trusted providers are uniquely positioned to bring care closer to home. Expanding pharmacists' roles to include the administration of additional publicly funded vaccines and the management of more common ailments can help enable pharmacies to serve as community health hubs offering convenient access—particularly for communities facing provider shortages or long travel times.

"This initiative provides an additional option to help increase access to preventive care in Ontario by bringing services closer to where people live, work, and seek trusted advice," said David Jones, Managing Director of Merck Canada. "We commend the Ontario government and the Minister of Health for recognizing pharmacies as essential access points and for empowering pharmacy professionals to play a broader role in supporting public health."

Building on Important Progress

This latest decision reflects the government's commitment to help protect Ontario's health care system by providing more connected and convenient care across the province. It is part of a broader strategy to improve access through multiple avenues—consulting on ways to expand scopes of practice for other regulated healthcare professionals, such as optometrists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, dental hygienists.³ Together, these efforts unlock additional capacity across the system, improving access to timely care and easing pressures on primacy care and emergency departments.³

Merck is encouraged by this progress and looks forward to future steps that continue expanding access to care for all Ontarians by enabling pharmacists to leverage the full extent of their training, helping to make pharmacies a one-stop-shop for convenient, everyday care.

About Merck

At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable, and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information about our operations in Canada, visit www.merck.ca and connect with us on LinkedIn @MerckCanada.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company 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 the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).

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SOURCE Merck

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Merck Congratulates Ontario Government on Expanding Pharmacy Scope to Help Improve Access to Care