The Procter & Gamble has acquireD the Consumer Health business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, for a purchase price of approximately €3.4bn. This acquisition enables P&G to expand its successful consumer health care business by adding a fast-growing portfolio of differentiated, physician-supported brands across a broad geographic footprint. It also provides P&G with strong health care commercial and supply capabilities, deep technical mastery and proven consumer health care leadership that will complement P&G's existing consumer Health Care capabilities and brands such as Vicks, Metamucil, Pepto-Bismol, Crest and Oral-B. "Over the past few years, our Health Care business has delivered consistent growth and strong shareholder value creation. The Consumer Health business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, brings a strong set of brands, products and capabilities, and provides an attractive and complementary footprint to further fuel growth as we continue to grow our existing leading brands." Steve Bishop, Group President, Global Health Care.