OTHER NEWS - June 15, 1994

Merck Announces Price Changes: The New Jersey drug company, the world’s largest, said it plans to cut prices on the cholesterol drugs Mevacor and Zocor by almost a third because of competitive pressures. The action follows the introduction this year of Lescol, an anti-cholesterol drug, by Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corp. of New Jersey at prices 50% less than the Merck & Co. medications. The price cuts will affect a limited number of purchasers, the company said. Merck also said it will raise prices on 22 of its drugs--among them the prostate drug Proscar, the heart drug Vasotec and the ulcer drug Pepcid--by 2.7% to 3.8%.