ICN/Merck Mobile Library
(Photo: Wendy Stone)
For more than 100 years, Merck has provided unbiased and independently reviewed health information resources to the public and to health care professionals, both directly and through nonprofit operations established as independent enterprises.
Merck Manuals
In 1899, Merck published the first edition of The Merck Manual, a 192-page resource book designed to aid physicians and pharmacists. By the 1980s, The Merck Manual was the world's best-selling medical text and had been translated into more than a dozen languages. It is now in its 18th edition. In 1997, Merck created The Merck Manual - Home Edition to provide the benefits of The Merck Manual for the general public. Now in its second edition, more than 2 million copies have been sold. We have developed additional books, such as The Merck Index for chemists, The Merck Manual for Geriatrics, The Merck Veterinary Manual and The Merck Manual of Health & Aging to provide professionals and consumers with useful health care information.
Merck makes these manuals available on a not-for-profit basis and free of any marketing information or promotions as a service to the community. All of the manuals, with the exception of The Merck Index, are available free online at http://www.merck.com/pubs/.
Merck recently launched a mobile version of Merck Medicus that physicians can access on their PDAs.
MerckSource.com
MerckSource.com is a comprehensive medical website where patients can learn about health conditions for themselves or those in their care. Medical professionals write the unbiased content on the site, which is available free of charge. Patients can find interactive health tools, 3-D illustrations, forms to track their health and suggestions on how to make their doctor's visit more productive on www.MerckSource.com.
Merck Medicus
Merck Medicus is an online resource for medical professionals. The website serves as a promotion-free guide to medical information available on the Internet. Resources include a library of references and treatment guidelines, professional development tools, patient resources and an electronic companion tool for personal digital devices. This resource can be found online at www.merckmedicus.com.
ICN/Merck Mobile Libraries
Nurses play a critical role in health care, particularly in Africa, where nurses typically deliver the vast majority of health care. Since 2001, Merck has partnered with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and Elsevier, the leading publisher of scientific reference textbooks, to help nurses in rural Africa gain critical access to quality health care information. The ICN/Merck Mobile Library Project provides traveling libraries of health education and reference materials, including donated copies of The Merck Manual - Home Edition, in 15 African countries. Each ICN/Merck Mobile Library contains up-to-date information on family and community health, disease prevention health promotion and health services.
"This mobile library comes at the right time to bridge the gap that existed in terms of facilities and access to medical books and journals between the Medical and Nursing profession. We are therefore most grateful...for [this] opportunity to bring knowledge and skill[s] to our nurses in all corners of the island."
—Francis Supparayen, President, National Nursing Association of Mauritius
To date, tens of thousands of people in more than 300 clinical settings in these 15 countries have benefited from the presence of the Mobile Libraries. There currently are 126 Mobile Libraries in circulation. Direct beneficiaries of this project are the local populations whose health care has been improved as a result of the enhanced knowledge of nurses and other health care providers about how to meet local health priorities and needs.
Nursing Libraries for Refugee Health
Launched in February 2006, the Nursing Libraries for Refugee Health is a collaboration of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Merck to provide current health care information and training to nurses and health workers serving refugee populations in Africa. This program builds upon the work of the ICN-Merck Mobile Library project.
Merck Manual Donations
In addition to the ICN/Merck Mobile Library project, Merck has donated 100,000 copies of The Merck Manual - Home Edition to ICN for distribution to nurses throughout Africa. In 2005, Merck also donated 1,000 copies of The Merck Manual to ICN.
State of Aging Reports
To assist in better understanding the health status of older adults as well as the associated health care and policy implications, The Merck Company Foundation is supporting the State of Aging reports, designed to provide a snapshot of the health and aging landscape in different regions of the world. The reports are produced with various partner organizations that are recognized leaders in the field of aging.
In June 2006, The Merck Company Foundation and The International Longevity Centre UK launched the State of Ageing and Health in Europe 2006. The report focuses the international spotlight on the health of older adults in the European Union. In addition to providing current information on health and aging in Europe, the report presents specific "calls to action" to help promote good health, prevent chronic disease, and postpone disability for older Europeans. To obtain a copy of the report, click here. For a copy of the executive sumamry, click here.
In March 2007, The Merck Company Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the State of Aging and Health in America 2007. The report presents the most current data available on 15 key health indicators for older adults. These indicators address health status, health behaviors, preventive care and screening, and injuries for older Americans. The report also documents the progress made in meeting the national Healthy People 2010 objectives for these indicators. The "State-by-State Report Card" provides similar information for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. To obtain a copy of the report, click here. For a copy of the executive summary, click here.
