The HEALTH : Xtra October 2018 | Page 13

FUTURE OF FERTILITY Today, the fertility market is changing fast, and the importance of technologies becomes more and more evident. There is a growing need for further innovation, and Merck aspires to continue to be the leader in pro- viding treatments, technologies and services to help fertility specialists and couples in Malaysia increase the chances of bringing a newborn home. Hamann stressed the benefit of new technologies is to increase efficiency and consistency in IVF laboratories. “By entering the field of fertility technologies, Merck seeks to support couples on their fertility journey in every way we can. As the steps taken in the laboratory play a critical role in increasing treatment success rates, innovative technol- ogies can make a real difference. We combine our existing drug portfolio with a continu- ously expanding range of technologies that aims to improve standardisation, automation and excellence in Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART). Merck celebrates 350 years of innovation “ALWAYS CURIOUS - IMAGINE THE NEXT 350 YEARS’ is the theme of Merck’s 350th anniversary celebration this year. Chris Hamann, Merck Malaysia’s President and Chief Executive Officer commented that to continue operations for a further 350 years, Merck needs to be constantly innovating. “We started off as a small family-run pharmacy in Darmstadt, Germany. Through innovation we have grown to approximately 52,000 employees providing solutions and technologies in over 66 countries. So, this theme aptly symbolises the spirit of the company over “Please come forward, and as early as possible to seek medical advice from fertility specialists. Remember, you are not alone in this journey,” - Chris Hamann the last 350 years in terms of how we’ve evolved, to be able to provide healthcare, life sciences and chemical solutions for healthcare partners as well as patients across the globe,” he shared. With more than 6,500 research and development professionals worldwide, Merck is dedicated to developing pioneering solutions and technologies, such as genome editing and deep data analysis, in addition to accelerating and improving drug development and biomedical technologies, leading to innovations such as sensor systems and highly efficient microchips for the next generation of technical devices. 11 Hamann said patient awareness is the biggest challenge to deal with in treating infertility. The general public is still uncom- fortable to come forward to seek treatment or to even talk about their infertility issues. One of Merck’s recent initiatives, www. fertility.com, is designed to help couples to understand existing options regarding infertility treatments as well as obtain advice and support. “Furthermore, www.fertility.com allows couples who are going through fertility issues to understand the causes of infertility for both men and women, how age affects fertility and the various fertility examination options available,” Hamann explained. Merck hopes to continue educating the public on addressing their challenges, while also further encouraging them to seek advice from fertility specialists to deal with the emo- tional aspect which accompanies infertility. Xtra