Merck Animal Health Launches Equine “Knockout Rabies” Campaign on World Rabies Day

Equine-specific campaign highlights the critical importance of rabies vaccination to protect horses and the people who care for them

RAHWAY, N.J., September 27, 2024 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), is proud to announce the “Knockout Rabies” campaign. Timed to coincide with the 18th annual World Rabies Day, this initiative aims to raise awareness among equine veterinarians and horse owners about the critical need for rabies vaccination, highlighting the often-overlooked risk this deadly disease poses to horses and people.

“World Rabies Day serves as a powerful reminder that we cannot be complacent in our fight against rabies,” says Bryant Craig, DVM, associate director of scientific sales affairs and equine professional services lead for Merck Animal Health. “Vaccinating horses is not just about protecting them—it’s about protecting the people who care for them as well. The ‘Knockout Rabies’ campaign is our way of reinforcing the vital role vaccination plays as such a simple and economical solution in preventing this deadly disease.”

Rabies is one of the deadliest viral diseases, with an almost 100% fatality rate once symptoms appear, yet it remains 100% preventable through vaccination. As a zoonotic disease, rabies can be transmitted from animals to humans, posing a significant threat to public safety. Each year, over 59,000 people worldwide lose their lives to rabies, with 29 million more requiring lifesaving treatment.¹ Vaccinating horses is essential not only to protect equine health but also to reduce the risk of transmission and safeguard public health. This is why the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends rabies vaccination for every horse, every year.

While rabies can occur any time of the year, cases in horses tend to increase in late summer and early fall, likely due to increased interaction between horses and wildlife reservoirs of the rabies virus, such as bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes, which are more active during these times. Horses are curious creatures, and a nip on the muzzle or limb could be disastrous. Many exposures go unnoticed, making vaccination not just a precaution but a necessity. Since wildlife may enter barns (especially at night), both stalled horses and horses on pasture have the potential to be exposed. Three equine rabies cases have already been reported this year,^2,3 highlighting the ongoing risk.

A global commitment to rabies eradication  

Merck Animal Health has been at the forefront of global rabies eradication efforts for more than 25 years, supporting initiatives like Mission Rabies and Rabies Free Africa through the donation of over 6 million lifesaving rabies vaccines as part of the Afya Program. The company’s commitment to equine health is equally strong, with more than 60,000 doses of equine rabies vaccines donated to qualifying rescue and retirement facilities through the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign, a nonprofit partnership with the AAEP.

The “Knockout Rabies” campaign coincides with World Rabies Day, an international event established by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control to raise awareness and promote prevention. This campaign encourages veterinarians and horse owners to take immediate action to vaccinate horses against rabies—it’s not too late.

Horse owners are urged to talk to their veterinarians about rabies vaccination and visit the Merck Animal Health website to learn more about PRESTIGE^® EquiRab^®, the first rabies vaccine developed specifically for horses. For more information about the “Knockout Rabies” campaign and Merck Animal Health’s ongoing efforts in rabies prevention, view the fact sheet. Together, we can knock out rabies and keep our equine companions safe.

About Merck Animal Health

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 a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals^®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

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. 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).

[1] Global Alliance for Rabies Control https://rabiesalliance.org

[2] Equine Disease Communication Center https://www.equinediseasecc.org/rabies

[3] South Carolina Dept of Public Health https://dph.sc.gov/news/two-rabid-foxes-confirmed-separate-cases-newberry-and-florence-counties-and-rabid-horse

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