ABOUT US

Rich in History, As Relevant as Ever

Merck’s commitment to sharing knowledge began more than 100 years ago with The Merck Index, a chemical and drug reference guide for chemists and physicians, first published in 1889. Ten years later, Merck published the first edition of The Merck Manual, a pocket-sized, 192-page medical reference for physicians and pharmacists. Today, The Merck Manual is in its 19th edition, nearly 4,000 pages in its print form, available in 17 languages, and also accessible online and on handheld devices. The consumer version, The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook, is also available as an eBook for Nook and Kindle eBook readers.

Over the centuries, as medical and scientific knowledge grew and information needs changed, so did The Merck Manuals.

The growing focus on the health of the world’s aging population led us to publish The Merck Manual of Geriatrics in 1990, which quickly became a popular textbook on geriatric care.

The growing trend of patients seeking independent information about their personal health concerns fueled the popularity of the consumer edition of The Merck Manual, first published in 1997 and now in its third edition. And, in 2004, the editors of the Merck Manual published The Merck Manual of Health & Aging for the lay public.

Our commitment to sharing medical information also generated other Merck Manual publications: The Merck Manual of Patient Symptoms, The Merck Veterinary Manual (a leading contributor to veterinary education since 1955) and The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health for pet owners. All Merck reference books are published as a not-for-profit service.

Spanning three centuries, the legacy of The Merck Manuals reflects our past, present and future efforts to share knowledge that can help the world be well.

Learn more about The Merck Manuals

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