Mectizan Donation Program: Bringing Hope to Millions Suffering from River Blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis
The Mectizan Donation Program (MDP) has been changing lives for millions of people over three decades. Established in 1987, MDP is the longest-running mass drug donation program for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Mectizan, a drug developed by Merck & Co., Inc., has been instrumental in ending the suffering associated with river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.
MDP works with partners in 58 countries to achieve a future free of these debilitating illnesses. The program oversees the donation of Mectizan to eligible countries where river blindness and lymphatic filariasis are endemic.
National programs, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), work together to train community-directed distributors to ensure everyone living in endemic communities has access to treatment.