May 4, 2001 Press Release

21st Century Solutions Designed To Meet 21st Century Challenges

Managed Care Executives Rank Merck & Co., Inc.'s Managed Care Account Personnel as Most Knowledgeable, Cognet-X, Inc. Reports

FEASTERVILLE, Pa.--(BW HealthWire)--May 4, 2001--Merck & Co., Inc.'s managed care account managers are the most knowledgeable in the pharmaceutical industry, influential managed care pharmacy directors reported to Cognet-X, Inc. in the first quarter of 2001. With a 29% advantage over its nearest competitor, Merck received a score of 435 in the Knowledgeable Account Personnel assessment category of Cognet-X's PAR-Rx (Promotional Assessment Research) Report(TM) for the first 3 months of the year. Merck finished first out of 60 corporations during the first quarter. During that period, more than 440 individual pharmaceutical products and medical devices were promoted to PAR-Rx Report panelists.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. placed second with 306 points, an 11% edge over third-place Aventis Pharmaceuticals (271 points). GlaxoSmithKline (231 points) and American Home Products Corp. (137 points) rounded out the top five in the Knowledgeable Account Personnel category. The rankings utilize Cognet-X's proprietary Scale of Influence model to assess pharmaceutical company promotional activity to leading managed care pharmacy directors.

PAR-Rx panelists, whose managed care organizations provide pharmaceutical drug coverage for more than 127 million Americans, found Merck account managers possess outstanding knowledge of specific plans and the managed care market in general. "Beyond that, Merck personnel also impressed pharmacy directors with their political savvy and team work skills," noted Cognet-X's Director of Market Research Analysis, Charles M. Maier.

"One panelist described his Merck account manager as a `quarterback' who directs resources and other Merck staff to make sure everyone was effective and on the same page. That philosophy results in consistently superior service," Maier added. Utilizing the PAR-Rx Report's verbatim analysis component, clear distinctions and strategic nuances emerge among even the best companies in this category. Novartis account managers won high marks for their flexibility and their attention to customer needs and considerations. "Time and again, PAR-Rx panelists reported that their Novartis account manager made sure they were kept up-to-date on issues and opportunities affecting their plan. Panelists told us that Novartis personnel are always willing to listen and to consistently tailoring their approach and offerings to the needs of each managed care organization," Maier said.

Panelists lauded Aventis account personnel--and, indirectly, the company itself--for their longevity and the sturdy relationships they've built through years of partnering with managed care plans and comprehensive industry knowledge. "Numerous pharmacy directors commented on the strength and maturity of their relationships with Aventis account managers. Several account personnel were with Hoescht Marion Roussel and even Marion Merrell Dow before the mergers that formed the Aventis of today. These managers bring a wealth of experience and know-how to the table for Aventis," Maier said.

The top 10 companies in the first-quarter 2001 PAR-Rx Report's Knowledgeable Account Personnel category are as follows:

    1. Merck & Co., Inc.
    2. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
    3. Aventis Pharmaceuticals
    4. GlaxoSmithKline
    5. American Home Products Corp.
    6. AstraZeneca PLC
    7. Abbott Laboratories
    8. TAP Pharmaceutical Products, Inc.
    9. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
10. Purdue Pharma LP

About the PAR-Rx Report

Cognet-X's PAR-Rx Report is a year-round service that provides the pharmaceutical industry with real-time, Internet-based competitive intelligence on pharmaceutical company promotion to influential managed care pharmacy directors. Cognet-X designed the PAR-Rx Report to provide the depth of data on managed care pharmacy director promotion that clients indicated they want and need to understand--and act on--key market dynamics. The Report offers Cognet-X clients the ability to evaluate and analyze variable differences that are critically important to their decision-making process. The Report collects comprehensive data that can be segmented and analyzed to provide clients with "21st-Century solutions to their 21st-Century challenges."

About Cognet-X

Cognet-X offers the pharmaceutical industry market research, consulting and software development that help companies build and refine their relationships with numerous customer bases, including the managed care community. Based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Cognet-X is privately held and employee owned.

For more information on the PAR-Rx Report or other cutting-edge Cognet-X products, please contact Robert E. Houghton or Charles M. Maier at 1-866-cognetx (866-264-6389) or via e-mail at robh@cognetx.com or chuckm@cognetx.com

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