Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Basis of presentation [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

1. Basis of Presentation

     The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, certain information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete consolidated financial statements are not included herein. These interim statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in Merck & Co., Inc.’s Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2011.

     On November 3, 2009, Merck & Co., Inc. (“Old Merck”) and Schering-Plough Corporation (“Schering-Plough”) completed their previously-announced merger (the “Merger”). In the Merger, Schering-Plough acquired all of the shares of Old Merck, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of Schering-Plough and was renamed Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Schering-Plough continued as the surviving public company and was renamed Merck & Co., Inc. (“New Merck” or the “Company”). However, for accounting purposes only, the Merger was treated as an acquisition with Old Merck considered the accounting acquirer. References in these financial statements to “Merck” for periods prior to the Merger refer to Old Merck and for periods after the completion of the Merger to New Merck.

     The results of operations of any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for the full year. In the Company’s opinion, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of these interim statements have been included and are of a normal and recurring nature.

     Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts to conform to the current year presentation.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

     In October 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance for revenue recognition with multiple deliverables. The Company adopted this guidance prospectively for revenue arrangements entered into or materially modified on or after January 1, 2011. This guidance eliminates the residual method under the current guidance and replaces it with the “relative selling price” method when allocating revenue in a multiple deliverable arrangement. The selling price for each deliverable shall be determined using vendor specific objective evidence of selling price, if it exists, otherwise third-party evidence of selling price shall be used. If neither exists for a deliverable, the vendor shall use its best estimate of the selling price for that deliverable. The effect of adoption on the Company’s financial position and results of operations was not material.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

     In June 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in financial statements. This amendment provides companies the option to present the components of net income and other comprehensive income either as one continuous statement of comprehensive income or as two separate but consecutive statements. It eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. The provisions of this new guidance are effective for interim and annual periods beginning in 2012. The adoption of this new guidance will not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.