<PAGE>   1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 5, 2001

                                                      Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                MERCK & CO., INC.
               (Exact Name of Issuer As Specified in Its Charter)
                                  P.O. BOX 100
                    WHITEHOUSE STATION, NEW JERSEY 08889-0100
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

NEW JERSEY                                                            22-1109110
(State of Incorporation)                    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                            2001 INCENTIVE STOCK PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                CELIA A. COLBERT
              Vice President, Secretary & Assistant General Counsel
                                MERCK & CO., INC.
                                  P.O. Box 100
                    Whitehouse Station, New Jersey 08889-0100
                                 (908) 423-1000
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

 If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a
  delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
                reinvestment plans, check the following box. /X/

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     Title of Securities to be         Amount to be         Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum         Amount of
            Registered                  Registered*        offering price per       aggregate offering     registration fee
                                                                share**                   price**
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>                   <C>                      <C>                    <C>
           Common Stock
    (Par Value $0.01 per share)      95,000,000 shares          $86.155              $8,184,725,000.00      $2,046,182.00
</TABLE>

*        Estimated maximum number of shares of Common Stock of Merck & Co., Inc.
         issuable during the next three years of operation of the Plan.

**       The price stated above is estimated solely for the purpose of
         determining the registration fee and is based on the average of the
         high and low market prices of the stock as reported on the New York
         Stock Exchange listed issues on January 4, 2001.
<PAGE>   2
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents filed by the registrant (Exchange Act File No.
1-3305) with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by
reference and made a part hereof:

(a)      Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on March 22, 2000, for the fiscal
         year ended December 31, 1999;

(b)      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on May 12, 2000, for the quarter
         ended March 31, 2000;

(c)      Form 10-K/A filed on June 27, 2000, amending the registrant's Annual
         Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999;

(d)      Form 11-K filed on June 27, 2000, for the fiscal year ended December
         31, 1999;

(e)      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 10, 2000, for the
         quarter ended June 30, 2000;

(f)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 20, 2000;

(g)      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on November 13, 2000, for the
         quarter ended September 30, 2000;

(h)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 15, 2000;

(i)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 12, 2000;

(j)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 12, 2000;

(k)      Proxy Statement filed on March 16, 2000, for the Annual Meeting of
         Stockholders held on April 25, 2000; and



                                       2
<PAGE>   3
(l)      The descriptions of the Common Stock of the registrant set forth in the
         registrant's Registration Statements pursuant to Section 12 of the
         Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"), and any amendment or
         report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

         All documents filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13, 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act from the date hereof and prior to the termination of
the offering of the securities offered hereby shall be deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents. An Exhibit Index can be found on page 13 of this Registration
Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         The validity of the Common Stock and interests in the plan will be
passed upon for the Company by Celia A. Colbert, Vice President, Secretary &
Assistant General Counsel of the Company.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         The New Jersey Business Corporation Act provides that a New Jersey
corporation has the power to indemnify a director or officer against his or her
expenses and liabilities in connection with any proceeding involving the
director or officer by reason of his or her being or having been such a director
or officer, other than a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation, if
such a director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he or she
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation; and with respect to any criminal proceeding, such director or
officer had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

         The indemnification and advancement of expenses shall not exclude any
other rights, including the right to be indemnified against liabilities and
expenses incurred in proceedings by



                                       3
<PAGE>   4
or in the right of the corporation, to which a director or officer may be
entitled under a certificate of incorporation, bylaw, agreement, vote of
stockholders, or otherwise; provided that no indemnification shall be made to or
on behalf of a director or officer if a judgment or other final adjudication
adverse to the director or officer establishes that his or her acts or omissions
(a) were in breach of his or her duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
stockholders, (b) were not in good faith or involved in a knowing violation of
law or (c) resulted in receipt by the director or officer of an improper
personal benefit.

         The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, to
the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of New Jersey, directors
and officers of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its
stockholders for damages for breach of any duty owed to the Company or its
stockholders, except that a director or officer shall not be relieved from
liability for any breach of duty based upon an act or omission (a) in breach of
such person's duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (b) not in
good faith or involving a knowing violation of law or (c) resulting in receipt
by such person of an improper personal benefit.

         The By-Laws of the Company provide that a former, present or future
director, officer or employee of the Company or the legal representative of any
such director, officer or employee shall be indemnified by the Company:

         (a) against reasonable costs, disbursements and counsel fees paid or
incurred where such person has been successful in the defense on the merits or
otherwise of any pending, threatened or completed civil, criminal,
administrative or arbitrative action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therein
and any inquiry or investigation which could lead to such action, suit or
proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, brought by
reason of such person's being or having been such director, officer or employee,
and

         (b) with respect to the defense of any such action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry or investigation for which indemnification is not made under (a) above,
against reasonable costs, disbursements (which shall include amounts paid in
satisfaction of settlements, judgments, fines and penalties, exclusive, however,
of any amount paid or payable to the Company) and counsel fees if such person
acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in



                                       4
<PAGE>   5
or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and in connection with any
criminal proceedings such person also had no reasonable cause to believe the
conduct was unlawful, with the determination as to whether the applicable
standard of conduct was met to be made by a majority of the members of the Board
of Directors (sitting as a Committee of the Board) who were not parties to such
inquiry, investigation, action, suit or proceeding or by any one or more
disinterested counsel to whom the question may be referred by the Board of
Directors; provided, however, in connection with any proceeding by or in the
right of the Company, no indemnification shall be provided as to any person
adjudged by any court to be liable to the Company except as and to the extent
determined by such court.

         The Company enters into indemnification agreements with its directors
and officers and enters into insurance agreements on its own behalf. The
indemnification agreements provide that the Company agrees to hold harmless and
indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized or
permitted by the Business Corporation Act of the State of New Jersey, or any
other applicable law, or by any amendment thereof or other statutory provisions
authorizing or permitting such indemnification that is adopted after the date
hereof. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company agrees to
hold harmless and indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law against any and all expenses, judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by its directors and
officers in connection with the defense of any present or future threatened,
pending or completed claim, action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact
that they were, are, shall be or shall have been a director or officer of the
Company, or are or were serving, shall serve or shall have served, at the
request of the Company, as director or officer of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not applicable.




                                       5
<PAGE>   6
ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                          DESCRIPTION                                       METHOD OF FILING
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>             <C>                                                <C>
  4(a)          --    Restated Certificate of                      Incorporated by reference to Form
                      Incorporation of the registrant              10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                      (September 1, 2000)                          September 30, 2000

  4(b)          --    By-Laws of the registrant (as                Incorporated by reference to Form
                      amended effective February 25, 1997)         10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                                                                   March 31, 1997

  5             --    Opinion and Consent of Celia A.              Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Colbert, Vice President, Secretary &
                      Assistant General Counsel of
                      registrant

 23             --    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP               Included at Page 12 of this Registration
                                                                   Statement

 24             --    Certified Resolution of Board of             Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Directors and Power of Attorney
</TABLE>




                                       6
<PAGE>   7
ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

1.(a)    To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
the registration statement or any material change to such information in the
registration statement.

  (b)    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

  (c)    To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

2.       That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
         Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to
         Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each
         filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section
         15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the
         registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
         statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
         of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
         fide offering thereof.

3.       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
         Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
         persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
         otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
         public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is,
         therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
         against such liabilities (other than the payment by the



                                       7
<PAGE>   8
         registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
         controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any
         action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
         controlling person in connection with the securities being registered,
         the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel, the matter
         has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
         appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
         it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933
         and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.




                                       8
<PAGE>   9
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the
requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the Town of Whitehouse Station and the State of New Jersey on the
5th day of January, 2001.

                                        MERCK & CO., INC.

                                   By:                  *
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Raymond V. Gilmartin
                                        Chairman of the Board, President
                                        & Chief Executive Officer

                                   By:  /s/ Celia A. Colbert
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Celia A. Colbert
                                        Vice President, Secretary &
                                        Assistant General Counsel
                                        (Attorney-in-Fact)



----------

*        Celia A. Colbert, by signing her name hereto, does hereby sign this
         document pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by the person
         named, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit
         to this document, on behalf of such person on the date stated.




                                       9
<PAGE>   10
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        SIGNATURE                                  TITLE                                 DATE
-------------------------            ----------------------------------            -----------------
<S>                                  <C>                                           <C>
            *
-------------------------
Raymond V. Gilmartin                 Chairman of the Board, President &            January 5, 2001
                                     Chief Executive Officer; Principal
                                     Executive Officer; Director

            *
-------------------------
Judy C. Lewent                       Senior Vice President & Chief                 January 5, 2001
                                     Financial Officer; Principal
                                     Financial Officer

            *
-------------------------
Richard C. Henriques, Jr.            Vice President, Controller;                   January 5, 2001
                                     Principal Accounting Officer

            *
-------------------------
H. Brewster Atwater, Jr.                          Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Lawrence A. Bossidy                               Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
William G. Bowen                                  Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Johnnetta B. Cole                                 Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Lloyd C. Elam                                     Director                         January 5, 2001


-------------------------
Carleton S. Fiorina                               Director
</TABLE>


----------

*        Celia A. Colbert, by signing her name hereto, does hereby sign this
         document pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by the persons
         named, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit
         to this document, on behalf of such persons, all in the capacities and
         on the date stated, such persons including a majority of the directors
         of the Company.



                                       10
<PAGE>   11
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                              <C>                              <C>
            *
-------------------------
Niall FitzGerald                                 Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
William B. Harrison, Jr.                         Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
William N. Kelley                                Director                         January 5, 2001


-------------------------
Heidi G. Miller                                  Director

            *
-------------------------
Edward M. Scolnick                               Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Anne M. Tatlock                                  Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Samuel O. Thier                                  Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Dennis Weatherstone                              Director                         January 5, 2001
</TABLE>



----------

*        Celia A. Colbert, by signing her name hereto, does hereby sign this
         document pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by the persons
         named, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit
         to this document, on behalf of such persons, all in the capacities and
         on the date stated, such persons including a majority of the directors
         of the Company.

                                   By:  /s/ Celia A. Colbert
                                        ---------------------------
                                        Celia A. Colbert
                                        Vice President, Secretary &
                                        Assistant General Counsel
                                        (Attorney-in-Fact)




                                       11
<PAGE>   12
                                                                      EXHIBIT 23



                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

         As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the
incorporation by reference in this Form S-8 Registration Statement of our report
dated January 26, 2000 included in and incorporated by reference in Merck & Co.,
Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999,
as amended by Form 10-K/A dated June 27, 2000 and to all references to our firm
included in or made a part of this Registration Statement.


                                        ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP


New York, New York
January 5, 2001




                                       12
<PAGE>   13
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                          DESCRIPTION                                       METHOD OF FILING
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>             <C>                                                <C>
  4(a)          --    Restated Certificate of                      Incorporated by reference to Form
                      Incorporation of the registrant              10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                      (September 1, 2000)                          September 30, 2000

  4(b)          --    By-Laws of the registrant (as                Incorporated by reference to Form
                      amended effective February 25, 1997)         10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                                                                   March 31, 1997

  5             --    Opinion and Consent of Celia A.              Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Colbert, Vice President, Secretary &
                      Assistant General Counsel of
                      registrant

 23             --    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP               Included at Page 12 of this Registration
                                                                   Statement

 24             --    Certified Resolution of Board of             Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Directors and Power of Attorney
</TABLE>




                                       13
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "MERCK & CO INC", "cik": "0000064978", "assigned-sic": "2834", "irs-number": "221109110", "state-of-incorporation": "NJ", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-53246", "film-number": "1502601"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE MERCK DR", "street2": "P O BOX 100", "city": "WHITEHOUSE STATION", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08889-0100", "phone": "9084234044"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE MERCK DR", "street2": "PO BOX 100 WS3AB-05", "city": "WHITEHOUSE STATION", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08889-0100"}}
1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 5, 2001

                                                      Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                MERCK & CO., INC.
               (Exact Name of Issuer As Specified in Its Charter)
                                  P.O. BOX 100
                    WHITEHOUSE STATION, NEW JERSEY 08889-0100
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

NEW JERSEY                                                            22-1109110
(State of Incorporation)                    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                            2001 INCENTIVE STOCK PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                CELIA A. COLBERT
              Vice President, Secretary & Assistant General Counsel
                                MERCK & CO., INC.
                                  P.O. Box 100
                    Whitehouse Station, New Jersey 08889-0100
                                 (908) 423-1000
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

 If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a
  delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
                reinvestment plans, check the following box. /X/

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities to be         Amount to be         Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum         Amount of
            Registered                  Registered*        offering price per       aggregate offering     registration fee
                                                                share**                   price**
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock
    (Par Value $0.01 per share)      95,000,000 shares          $86.155              $8,184,725,000.00      $2,046,182.00
*        Estimated maximum number of shares of Common Stock of Merck & Co., Inc.
         issuable during the next three years of operation of the Plan.

**       The price stated above is estimated solely for the purpose of
         determining the registration fee and is based on the average of the
         high and low market prices of the stock as reported on the New York
         Stock Exchange listed issues on January 4, 2001.
2
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents filed by the registrant (Exchange Act File No.
1-3305) with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by
reference and made a part hereof:

(a)      Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on March 22, 2000, for the fiscal
         year ended December 31, 1999;

(b)      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on May 12, 2000, for the quarter
         ended March 31, 2000;

(c)      Form 10-K/A filed on June 27, 2000, amending the registrant's Annual
         Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999;

(d)      Form 11-K filed on June 27, 2000, for the fiscal year ended December
         31, 1999;

(e)      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 10, 2000, for the
         quarter ended June 30, 2000;

(f)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 20, 2000;

(g)      Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on November 13, 2000, for the
         quarter ended September 30, 2000;

(h)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 15, 2000;

(i)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 12, 2000;

(j)      Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 12, 2000;

(k)      Proxy Statement filed on March 16, 2000, for the Annual Meeting of
         Stockholders held on April 25, 2000; and

                                       2
3
(l)      The descriptions of the Common Stock of the registrant set forth in the
         registrant's Registration Statements pursuant to Section 12 of the
         Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"), and any amendment or
         report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

         All documents filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13, 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act from the date hereof and prior to the termination of
the offering of the securities offered hereby shall be deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents. An Exhibit Index can be found on page 13 of this Registration
Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         The validity of the Common Stock and interests in the plan will be
passed upon for the Company by Celia A. Colbert, Vice President, Secretary &
Assistant General Counsel of the Company.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         The New Jersey Business Corporation Act provides that a New Jersey
corporation has the power to indemnify a director or officer against his or her
expenses and liabilities in connection with any proceeding involving the
director or officer by reason of his or her being or having been such a director
or officer, other than a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation, if
such a director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he or she
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation; and with respect to any criminal proceeding, such director or
officer had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

         The indemnification and advancement of expenses shall not exclude any
other rights, including the right to be indemnified against liabilities and
expenses incurred in proceedings by

                                       3
4
or in the right of the corporation, to which a director or officer may be
entitled under a certificate of incorporation, bylaw, agreement, vote of
stockholders, or otherwise; provided that no indemnification shall be made to or
on behalf of a director or officer if a judgment or other final adjudication
adverse to the director or officer establishes that his or her acts or omissions
(a) were in breach of his or her duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
stockholders, (b) were not in good faith or involved in a knowing violation of
law or (c) resulted in receipt by the director or officer of an improper
personal benefit.

         The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, to
the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of New Jersey, directors
and officers of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its
stockholders for damages for breach of any duty owed to the Company or its
stockholders, except that a director or officer shall not be relieved from
liability for any breach of duty based upon an act or omission (a) in breach of
such person's duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (b) not in
good faith or involving a knowing violation of law or (c) resulting in receipt
by such person of an improper personal benefit.

         The By-Laws of the Company provide that a former, present or future
director, officer or employee of the Company or the legal representative of any
such director, officer or employee shall be indemnified by the Company:

         (a) against reasonable costs, disbursements and counsel fees paid or
incurred where such person has been successful in the defense on the merits or
otherwise of any pending, threatened or completed civil, criminal,
administrative or arbitrative action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therein
and any inquiry or investigation which could lead to such action, suit or
proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, brought by
reason of such person's being or having been such director, officer or employee,
and

         (b) with respect to the defense of any such action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry or investigation for which indemnification is not made under (a) above,
against reasonable costs, disbursements (which shall include amounts paid in
satisfaction of settlements, judgments, fines and penalties, exclusive, however,
of any amount paid or payable to the Company) and counsel fees if such person
acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in

                                       4
5
or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and in connection with any
criminal proceedings such person also had no reasonable cause to believe the
conduct was unlawful, with the determination as to whether the applicable
standard of conduct was met to be made by a majority of the members of the Board
of Directors (sitting as a Committee of the Board) who were not parties to such
inquiry, investigation, action, suit or proceeding or by any one or more
disinterested counsel to whom the question may be referred by the Board of
Directors; provided, however, in connection with any proceeding by or in the
right of the Company, no indemnification shall be provided as to any person
adjudged by any court to be liable to the Company except as and to the extent
determined by such court.

         The Company enters into indemnification agreements with its directors
and officers and enters into insurance agreements on its own behalf. The
indemnification agreements provide that the Company agrees to hold harmless and
indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized or
permitted by the Business Corporation Act of the State of New Jersey, or any
other applicable law, or by any amendment thereof or other statutory provisions
authorizing or permitting such indemnification that is adopted after the date
hereof. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company agrees to
hold harmless and indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law against any and all expenses, judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by its directors and
officers in connection with the defense of any present or future threatened,
pending or completed claim, action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact
that they were, are, shall be or shall have been a director or officer of the
Company, or are or were serving, shall serve or shall have served, at the
request of the Company, as director or officer of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not applicable.

                                       5
6
ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                          DESCRIPTION                                       METHOD OF FILING
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4(a)          --    Restated Certificate of                      Incorporated by reference to Form
                      Incorporation of the registrant              10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                      (September 1, 2000)                          September 30, 2000

  4(b)          --    By-Laws of the registrant (as                Incorporated by reference to Form
                      amended effective February 25, 1997)         10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                                                                   March 31, 1997

  5             --    Opinion and Consent of Celia A.              Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Colbert, Vice President, Secretary &
                      Assistant General Counsel of
                      registrant

 23             --    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP               Included at Page 12 of this Registration
                                                                   Statement

 24             --    Certified Resolution of Board of             Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Directors and Power of Attorney
6
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ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

1.(a)    To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
the registration statement or any material change to such information in the
registration statement.

  (b)    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

  (c)    To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

2.       That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
         Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to
         Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each
         filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section
         15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the
         registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
         statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
         of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
         fide offering thereof.

3.       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
         Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
         persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
         otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
         public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is,
         therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
         against such liabilities (other than the payment by the

                                       7
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         registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
         controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any
         action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
         controlling person in connection with the securities being registered,
         the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel, the matter
         has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
         appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
         it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933
         and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       8
9
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the
requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the Town of Whitehouse Station and the State of New Jersey on the
5th day of January, 2001.

                                        MERCK & CO., INC.

                                   By:                  *
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Raymond V. Gilmartin
                                        Chairman of the Board, President
                                        & Chief Executive Officer

                                   By:  /s/ Celia A. Colbert
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Celia A. Colbert
                                        Vice President, Secretary &
                                        Assistant General Counsel
                                        (Attorney-in-Fact)

----------

*        Celia A. Colbert, by signing her name hereto, does hereby sign this
         document pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by the person
         named, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit
         to this document, on behalf of such person on the date stated.

                                       9
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         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE                                  TITLE                                 DATE
-------------------------            ----------------------------------            -----------------
*
-------------------------
Raymond V. Gilmartin                 Chairman of the Board, President &            January 5, 2001
                                     Chief Executive Officer; Principal
                                     Executive Officer; Director

            *
-------------------------
Judy C. Lewent                       Senior Vice President & Chief                 January 5, 2001
                                     Financial Officer; Principal
                                     Financial Officer

            *
-------------------------
Richard C. Henriques, Jr.            Vice President, Controller;                   January 5, 2001
                                     Principal Accounting Officer

            *
-------------------------
H. Brewster Atwater, Jr.                          Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Lawrence A. Bossidy                               Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
William G. Bowen                                  Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Johnnetta B. Cole                                 Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Lloyd C. Elam                                     Director                         January 5, 2001

-------------------------
Carleton S. Fiorina                               Director
----------

*        Celia A. Colbert, by signing her name hereto, does hereby sign this
         document pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by the persons
         named, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit
         to this document, on behalf of such persons, all in the capacities and
         on the date stated, such persons including a majority of the directors
         of the Company.

                                       10
11
*
-------------------------
Niall FitzGerald                                 Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
William B. Harrison, Jr.                         Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
William N. Kelley                                Director                         January 5, 2001

-------------------------
Heidi G. Miller                                  Director

            *
-------------------------
Edward M. Scolnick                               Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Anne M. Tatlock                                  Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Samuel O. Thier                                  Director                         January 5, 2001

            *
-------------------------
Dennis Weatherstone                              Director                         January 5, 2001
----------

*        Celia A. Colbert, by signing her name hereto, does hereby sign this
         document pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by the persons
         named, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit
         to this document, on behalf of such persons, all in the capacities and
         on the date stated, such persons including a majority of the directors
         of the Company.

                                   By:  /s/ Celia A. Colbert
                                        ---------------------------
                                        Celia A. Colbert
                                        Vice President, Secretary &
                                        Assistant General Counsel
                                        (Attorney-in-Fact)

                                       11
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                                                                      EXHIBIT 23

                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

         As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the
incorporation by reference in this Form S-8 Registration Statement of our report
dated January 26, 2000 included in and incorporated by reference in Merck & Co.,
Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999,
as amended by Form 10-K/A dated June 27, 2000 and to all references to our firm
included in or made a part of this Registration Statement.

                                        ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

New York, New York
January 5, 2001

                                       12
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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                          DESCRIPTION                                       METHOD OF FILING
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4(a)          --    Restated Certificate of                      Incorporated by reference to Form
                      Incorporation of the registrant              10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                      (September 1, 2000)                          September 30, 2000

  4(b)          --    By-Laws of the registrant (as                Incorporated by reference to Form
                      amended effective February 25, 1997)         10-Q Quarterly Report for the period ended
                                                                   March 31, 1997

  5             --    Opinion and Consent of Celia A.              Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Colbert, Vice President, Secretary &
                      Assistant General Counsel of
                      registrant

 23             --    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP               Included at Page 12 of this Registration
                                                                   Statement

 24             --    Certified Resolution of Board of             Filed with this Registration Statement
                      Directors and Power of Attorney
13