Merck & Co. and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have formed a partnership to expand access to family planning, particularly in the developing world. Merck is pledging $25 million over eight years as part of its Merck for Mothers program, a 10-year initiative to reduce maternal mortality.

In other news, Merck & Co. has launched a three-year, $3-million initiative to support health departments in Atlanta, Houston, and Philadelphia, to enhance existing efforts and foster other innovative approaches to better serve people living with HIV/AIDS and prevent is further spread. The program supports the HIV Care Collaborative for Underserved Populations in the United States.

Merck & Co. also announced the first five partnership and inaugural class of fellows for newly formed Richard T. Clark Fellowship program, with PSI, a global nonprofit organized working to improve the health of people in the developing world. The program aims to strengthen the capability and reach of charitable organizations focused on improving access to health services and health outcomes.

Roche supported the “Roche Continents” program at the Salzburg Festival. The program invited 100 students from Europe to discover the role of innovation in the arts and science during a progam of workshops, discussions, and concert series.