Dr. Julie Gerberding (of CDC) Named President of Merck Vaccines
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She got rewarded for her cooperation with drug companies while working for
the CDC $$$$$$$$$$$$$
Dr. Julie Gerberding (of CDC) Named President of Merck Vaccines
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. - (Business Wire) Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)
today announced that Dr. Julie Gerberding has been named president of Merck
Vaccines, effective January 25, 2010.
Dr. Gerberding led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as
director from 2002 to 2009. During her tenure at CDC, Dr. Gerberding led the
agency during more than 40 emergency response initiatives for health crises
including anthrax bioterrorism, food-borne disease outbreaks, and natural
disasters, and advised governments around the world on urgent public health
issues such as SARS, AIDS, and obesity.
"Vaccines are a cornerstone of Merck's commitment to health and wellness,"
said Richard T. Clark, chairman and chief executive officer, Merck & Co.,
Inc. "We are delighted to welcome an expert of Dr. Gerberding's caliber to
Merck. As a preeminent authority in public health, infectious diseases and
vaccines, Dr. Gerberding is the ideal choice to lead Merck's engagement with
organizations around the world that share our commitment to the use of
vaccines to prevent disease and save lives."
"I've had the privilege in my previous work in academia and in the federal
government to be a passionate advocate for public health priorities such as
vaccines, which are an imperative component of global health development,"
said Dr. Gerberding. "I am very excited to be joining Merck where I can help
to expand access to vaccines around the world."
Dr. Gerberding will lead the company's $5 billion global vaccine business.
Merck currently markets a broad range of pediatric, adolescent and adult
vaccines and is a leading provider of vaccines in countries around the
world; in the U.S., Merck markets vaccines for 12 of the 17 diseases for
which the U.S. Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices currently
recommends vaccines. She will be responsible for the commercialization of
the current portfolio of vaccines, planning for the introduction of vaccines
from the company's robust vaccine pipeline, and accelerating Merck's
on-going efforts to broaden access to its vaccines in the developing world.
Dr. Gerberding will also collaborate with leaders of Merck Manufacturing
Division and Merck Research Laboratories to manage the critical linkages
between basic research, late-stage development and manufacturing to expand
Merck's vaccine offerings throughout the world.
She received her undergraduate degree and her M.D. from Case Western Reserve
University. Her internship, residency, and clinical pharmacology training
were all at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she
worked in a range of clinical, research and teaching roles prior to joining
the CDC in 1998. Dr. Gerberding received her Masters of Public Health at the
University of California, Berkeley.
She is a member of the Institute of Medicine and a fellow of the Infectious
Diseases Society of America and the American College of Physicians, and is
board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. She is also a
Clinical Professor of Infectious Diseases at Emory University and an Adjunct
Associate Professor of Medicine in Infectious Diseases at UCSF.
Dr. Gerberding has received more than 50 awards and honors, including the
United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Distinguished
Service Award for her leadership in responses to anthrax bioterrorism and
the September 11, 2001 attacks. She was named to Forbes Magazine's 100 Most
Powerful Women in the world in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 and was named to
TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2004.
About Merck
Today's Merck is working to help the world be well. Through our medicines,
vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer and animal products, we work with
customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative
health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to
healthcare through far-reaching programs that donate and deliver our
products to the people who need them. Merck. Be Well. For more information,
visit www.merck.com.
Forward Looking Statement
This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning
of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not
limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger between Merck and
Schering-Plough, including future financial and operating results, the
combined company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other
statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the
current beliefs and expectations of Merck's management and are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those
set forth in the forward-looking statements.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the possibility that
the expected synergies from the merger of Merck and Schering-Plough will not
be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period, due
to, among other things, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and
pending legislation that could affect the pharmaceutical industry; the risk
that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the
merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational
relationships; Merck's ability to accurately predict future market
conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck's patents and other
protections for innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation
and health policies in the U.S. and internationally and the exposure to
litigation and/or regulatory actions.
Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck's
2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Schering-Plough's Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2009, the proxy statement
filed by Merck on June 25, 2009 and each company's other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet
site: www.sec.gov.
Merck & Co., Inc
Media:
Amy Rose, 908-423-6537
Investor:
Alex Kelly, 908-423-5185