Merck helps patients with disabilities to access the web

Pharma companies often pledge that they are putting patients first, but few practice full end-to-end delivery of their product.

This week US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) announced that it has partnered with eSSENTIAL Accessibility to offer a free app that makes it easier for people with disabilities to browse its websites. People who cannot browse the web using conventional methods due to conditions such as arthritis, paralysis or MS, can use this app to browse merck.com and merckengage.com completely hands free, using tools like motion technology and voice-activated navigation.

This technology has been around for a while but it’s promising that big pharma companies such as Merck are showing the initiative and delivering it to the patients who depend on their drugs. The eSSENTIAL Accessibility app provides a suite of keyboard and mouse replacement solutions, among other tools, designed to help people with physical, reading and age-related disabilities get online. The Merck app is free of charge to the end-user and once downloaded, the app can be used on any website.