Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products worldwide. It is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The company operates through the following segments: Pharmaceutical, Animal Health and Alliances. The Pharmaceutical segment includes human health pharmaceutical and vaccine products marketed either directly by the company or through joint ventures. Its human health pharmaceutical products consist of therapeutic and preventive agents, generally sold by prescription, for the treatment of human disorders. The company sells these products primarily to drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies and managed health care providers, such as health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and other institutions.