Schering Laboratories Begins CLARINEX(R) DTC Education Program; Consumer Advertising Will Highlight Commitment to Patient-Physician Dialogue and Patient Education on Treatment of Indoor- and Outdoor-Allergies.

KENILWORTH, N.J. -- Schering Laboratories announced that today it initiated a direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising program to inform consumers about the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) and CLARINEX(R) (desloratadine) Tablets, the first and only nonsedating antihistamine approved for the of treatment symptoms caused by year-round indoor allergens and seasonal outdoor allergens. Timed to coincide with the beginning of the spring 2002 allergy season, the education program includes a dedicated Web site, a series of print, broadcast and online advertisements, and information displays for doctors' offices and pharmacies that emphasize Schering Laboratories' commitment to patient education and fostering physician-patient discussions about allergies.

"As the first nonsedating antihistamine approved for the treatment of indoor and outdoor allergies, CLARINEX offers patients and physicians an important new option," said Richard W. Zahn, president of Schering Laboratories. "Schering Laboratories has been a leader in developing programs that inform and motivate people to take charge of their health. The advertising supporting CLARINEX will be an important part of our ongoing efforts to boost public awareness about the need to treat allergies and to encourage an informed dialogue between physicians and their patients."

Working from the theme "Billions of Allergens, One Tiny Blue Pill," the program's television commercials and accompanying print materials use sophisticated computer graphics to focus on the prevalence of allergies in the United States and the proven ability of CLARINEX to provide 24-hour relief from the symptoms of indoor and outdoor allergies. The advertisements also contain information on a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-CLARINEX.

Continuing on the same visual theme, the interactive Web site, http://www.clarinex.com/, provides information about the causes of and treatments for allergies, weather alerts and pollen forecasts and directions for obtaining a seven-day free trial offer of CLARINEX.

Allergic rhinitis is generally regarded as the most common allergic disorder in the United States, affecting up to 30 percent of the population and accounting for approximately 16.7 million office visits to health care providers each year.

CLARINEX was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2001 for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in adults and children 12 years of age and older. CLARINEX gained approval for the same age group in February 2002 for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR), which combines the product's initial indication with the new indication of perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR), or indoor allergies. CLARINEX was also approved in February for the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), or hives of unknown cause, in adults and children 12 years of age and older, giving CLARINEX the broadest indications of any nonsedating antihistamine.

In clinical trials, CLARINEX provided significantly greater symptom relief than placebo. The most common side effects in allergic rhinitis were pharyngitis, dry mouth and fatigue, with an incidence rate similar to placebo. In CIU studies, the most common side effects were headache, nausea and fatigue.

A copy of the package insert for CLARINEX is available at http://www.clarinex.com/.

The Value of DTC Advertising

DTC advertisements, which can be found in media ranging from TV and radio to magazines, billboards and the Internet, provide an important platform to encourage informed, open discussion between patients and health care professionals. DTC advertisements increase public knowledge of a range of therapies that may offer important treatment benefits. DTC advertising also promotes consumer awareness of toll-free telephone numbers and Internet sites that can provide patients with more information about a medication or a particular health condition. Additionally, many physicians report that DTC advertising may enhance patient compliance and strengthens the doctor-patient relationship by encouraging patients to take charge of their own health care and to schedule regular doctor visits.

Schering Laboratories' commitment to patient education extends beyond DTC ads. The company also offers several online information sources, such as http://www.schoolasthmaallergy.com/, a site that gives school nurses a centralized asthma and allergy information resource they can share with their students and their families, and http://www.allergylearninglab.com/, a comprehensive, online resource for people with allergies.

CLARINEX Continues the Heritage in Allergy Therapy

CLARINEX builds upon Schering Laboratories' heritage as a leader in the manufacturing and marketing of allergy and respiratory products. Products from the company's portfolio include the CLARITIN(R) (loratadine) family of nonsedating antihistamines, the country's leading prescription antihistamine, and NASONEX(R) (mometasone furoate monohydrate), a once-daily nasal steroid for allergies.

DISCLOSURE NOTICE: The information in this press release includes certain "forward-looking" information relating to CLARINEX, including its market potential. The reader of this release should understand that the extent that CLARINEX will be prescribed will be determined by market forces. In addition, the forward-looking statements may also be adversely affected by general market factors, competitive product development, product availability, current and future branded, generic or OTC competition, federal and state regulations and legislation, the regulatory and research processes for new products and indications, existing and new manufacturing issues that may arise, trade buying patterns, patent positions, litigation, and investigations. For further details and a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Schering-Plough Corporation's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the company's 2000 annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

Schering Laboratories is the U.S. prescription pharmaceutical marketing arm of Schering-Plough Corporation of Kenilworth, N.J., a research-based company engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products worldwide.

Contact: Media - William O'Donnell, +1-908-298-7476, or Investor - Geraldine U. Foster, +1-908-298-7410, Lisa W. DeBerardine, +1-908-298-7437, or Janet M. Barth, +1-908-298-7417, all of Schering-Plough Corporation

Website: http://www.schering-plough.com/ http://www.clarinex.com/ http://www.schoolasthmaallergy.com/ http://www.allergylearninglab.com/

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