Merck Biopharma Korea said that it received the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee Chairman’s Award from the National Federation of Sub-fertility Family, an organization made by families who have infertility, on Monday.

The Infertility Family Day event, sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Seoul Metropolitan Government, is designed to improve social awareness of infertility and to convey hope and courage to infertile families.

During the event, the company received a commendation from the Chairman of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee in recognition for its social contribution activities to improving the infertility treatment environment, such as campaigns to enhance awareness of infertility and providing specialized medical information to infertility medical workers.

According to the company, infertility has attracted attention as a significant issue around the world, while local patients who have infertility was estimated to be around 221,000 in 2016.

"Infertility is a very high physical and mental burden for women, from diagnosis to treatment," the company said. "Therefore, active efforts to improve the treatment success rate and emotional stability of patients are necessary."

Merck Biopharma Korea General Manager Javed Alam said, "Infertility is no longer an individual matter and is a problem that the whole society must proactively address for a better present and future."

Merck Biopharma Korea will continue to introduce innovative fertility treatments and technologies in Korea to support the treatment of infertile families as well as to deliver information and awareness on fertility, Alam added.