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Taxes on Income
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Taxes on Income Taxes on Income
The effective income tax rates from continuing operations were 11.4% and 8.0% for the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively, which reflect the beneficial impact of foreign earnings. The effective income tax rate from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 also includes the impact of lower U.S. income reflecting net unrealized losses from investments in equity securities. The effective income tax rate from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2021 also reflects a net tax benefit of $208 million related to the settlement of certain federal income tax matters as discussed below.
In the first quarter of 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) concluded its examinations of Merck’s 2015-2016 U.S. federal income tax returns. As a result, the Company was required to make a payment of $190 million (of which $172 million related to continuing operations and $18 million related to discontinued operations). The Company’s reserves for unrecognized tax benefits for the years under examination exceeded the adjustments relating to this examination period and therefore the Company recorded a $237 million net tax benefit in the first quarter of 2021 (of which $208 million related to continuing operations and $29 million related to discontinued operations). This net benefit reflects reductions in reserves for unrecognized tax benefits and other related liabilities for tax positions relating to the years that were under examination.