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REPORTED · NEWSPublished Feb 28, 2026

Merck to Lay Off Over 150 Employees as Gardasil Production Winds Down in N.C.

EMPLOYEES AFFECTED
150
SHARE OF WORKFORCE
~0.2%
EFFECTIVE DATE
Feb 27, 2026
150 OF 70,000 EMPLOYEES

What we know

Location: North Carolina, USA.

Department affected: Gardasil Production.

Based on news reporting.

Summary

Merck & Co. is set to lay off over 150 employees as it winds down production of its Gardasil vaccine at its North Carolina facility. This decision comes as part of a strategic shift in the company's operations, although specific reasons for the production halt were not detailed in the article. The layoffs will affect workers directly involved in the Gardasil production line, marking a significant change in the company's workforce dynamics in the region. Merck's restructuring efforts reflect broader trends in the pharmaceutical industry, but the focus remains on the impact on its North Carolina operations.

Merck & Co., Inc. cut 150 jobs affecting its Gardasil Production team as of February 27, 2026.

That is roughly 0.2% of the 70,000 people Merck & Co., Inc. employs.

LayoffTalk has tracked 40 layoff events at Merck & Co., Inc. since October 2023, affecting a combined 14,671 employees.

Comments (1)

Anonymous by default. Be kind — people reading this may be going through it right now.

LTLayoffTalk StaffStaff21 hours ago

Merck & Co., Inc. cut 150 jobs on February 27, 2026. Were you affected, or do you know people who were? How was it handled — severance, notice, which teams? You can post anonymously below.

SOURCE
News reporting
View original source ↗
M
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK
Healthcare · 70,000 employees
40
EVENTS TRACKED
34K
AFFECTED SINCE 2023
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CREATED FEB 28, 2026LAST UPDATED JUL 3, 2026