FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New tool provides the physician with instant diagnosis and management at point of care

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that Harrison's Practice-Answers on Demand is now available on MerckMedicus™, an online resource from Merck that provides healthcare professionals with unbiased, credible medical information whether they are at their desk, on the move with wireless, or at the point of care using a handheld device -- always with no access fees or advertising.

Harrison's Practice - Answers on Demand is an innovative tool developed by McGraw-Hill Professional in collaboration with Unbound Medicine, Inc., that answers questions on demand at the point of medical care. When MerckMedicus users access Harrison's Practice at www.MerckMedicus.com, they can view more than 700 topics relating to the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions, searchable by topic, specialty or ICD-9 Code. Users can also receive continuous updates on their desktop computer, PDA and wireless devices including their PDA, Blackberry™ or other smartphones.

Harrison's Practice is a natural fit with a vast array of resources already available on MerckMedicus that allow physicians to quickly and efficiently locate medical information in a variety of formats," said Rodney Patches, Director, e-Business Strategies & Solutions for Merck. "The addition of this resource to the Web site represents Merck's ongoing commitment to providing healthcare professionals with the information they need, whenever and wherever they need it."

New Harrison's Practice content is backed by the same Editorial Board that developed Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 16th Edition and is organized in standardized templates for efficiency. Links to Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine and PubMed provide additional in-depth information.

Harrison's Practice - Answers on Demand is available to registered users of MerckMedicus with no access fees or advertising content. For more information or to register, visit www.MerckMedicus.com and click on "Register" at the top of the page.

About MerckMedicus

MerckMedicus.com is a no-cost, advertising-free, comprehensive online medical information portal specifically designed specifically for U.S. healthcare professionals that provides unbiased, credible information through a variety of scientific learning resources and cutting-edge diagnostic tools, including textbooks, journal abstracts and clinical tools such as Harrison's - Answers on Demand, PDR® Electronic Library, DXplain® and TheraDoc®. It also provides breaking medical news, a wide variety of scientific learning resources, and cutting-edge diagnostic tools. Other resources available to registered users on MerckMedicus.com, which can be accessed from the Web, wireless or on the go using a PDA or smartphone, include:

• The Merck Manual, Professional Edition - This Professional Edition
  features a wealth of new content, including 34 new chapters and 69
  new illustrations, and greater ease of use.
• Harrison's Online - Complete text, illustrations, and expanded
  features from the 16th edition of Harrison's Principles of Internal
  Medicine
• Pocket Guide to Diagnostic Tests - A reference guide with
  information on hundreds of diagnostic tests with key references
• MEDLINE Journal Abstracts - One of the world's largest biomedical
  databases, with abstracts of journal articles from all fields of
  medicine
• Reuters Medical News - The world's leading provider of medical and
  healthcare news in a customizable format
• Clinical PodCasts - Get up-to-the-minute clinical programs delivered
  directly to your iPod®/MP3-compatible device without having to
  attend meetings or read journals. New content is posted every two
  weeks.
• CME Course Credits - Link to an independent Web site to earn CME credits online

MerckMedicus builds on the legacy of The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, the most widely read medical text in the world for more than a century. From that tradition, and through partnerships with other providers of medical information, Merck has developed a unique, in-depth perspective on the wants, needs and time constraints of modern healthcare professionals. Merck launched MerckMedicus in 2001 as part of its century-long commitment to providing unbiased health information as a public service to consumers and health care professionals, which began with the publication of the first Merck Manual in 1899.

About Merck
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but also help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

About Unbound Medicine
Unbound Medicine, Inc. (www.unboundmedicine.com) develops next-generation knowledge management systems for healthcare. The company’s handheld, wireless and Web-based technology platform and its information architecture services provide healthcare professionals with advanced systems for acquiring, managing and sharing knowledge.

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