The JAMA Network and Merck announce strategic collaboration

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and The JAMA Network today announced a new collaboration to enhance the medical information available on Merck Medicus and Univadis, Merck’s medical information and education Web sites, and to expand The JAMA Network’s global reach.

Merck Medicus is the medical education and health information Web site from Merck for health care professionals in the United States. Univadis is the medical education and health information Web site from MSD for health care professionals in 36 counties outside the United States. The JAMA Network features JAMA and nine specialty journals published by the American Medical Association (AMA).

Through this collaboration, selected abstracts, articles and author videos fromJAMAand the nine specialty journals available on The JAMA Network will also be available through Merck Medicus and Univadis. Starting this year, these materials will be available in English, Mandarin, French, Italian and Spanish. Brazilian, German, Portuguese and Japanese language translations will be added in 2013.

This collaboration is consistent with the commitment of The JAMA Network and Merck Medicus and Univadis to provide unbiased medical information to health care professionals in the United States and around the world. JAMA will have editorial control over the selection and production of the abstracts and videos that will be featured on Merck Medicus and Univadis. Downloads of related full-text articles will also be available on those Web sites.

“With the enormous variety of medical content now available online, it has never been more important for health care professionals to have timely access to trustworthy and unbiased health information. We are delighted to collaborate with The JAMA Network to bring even more robust, comprehensive, independent medical information to physicians worldwide on Merck Medicus and Univadis. Merck takes great pride in continuing our century-long legacy of providing unbiased medical education and information,” said Sethu Reddy, M.D., MBA, vice president, U.S. Medical Affairs, Merck.

“This is an exciting opportunity to expand the global reach of The JAMA Network,” said Howard Bauchner, M.D., editor-in-chief ofJAMA. “We are publishing some of the best medical research in the world, and this collaboration provides a way for the scientific information from The JAMA Network to reach a broader audience, including international physicians and health care professionals for whom English is not their primary language. The addition of the JAMA Network author videos is an effective way for physicians to hear directly from the researchers who concisely summarize their studies. The translations will help bring that information to a wider audience.”