Merck Manual of Medical Information Now Available in Interactive Format on the Web - www.MerckHomeEdition.com - and It's Free

Health and fitness are hot topics with most seniors and there is a new site on the web that we find very appealing for gathering medical information - if you feel comfortable with interactive websites.

The Merck Manual of Medical Information has been a ready-reference in many American homes. They introduced their first online version a few months ago. A new, interactive version is now available on the Internet. The site includes all the complete, concise, and up-to-date information previously available, plus new multimedia components such as animations, videos, color photographs, Internet links, and pronunciations of medical terms.

"Written in everyday language and backed by a century of trust, the world's best selling and most trusted home medical resource is available free, as a public service," according to the publisher. It can be found at www.MerckHomeEdition.com.

"The interactive elements of the Merck Manual -- Home Edition online will help people understand complex medical information in ways that no printed book can," said Dr. Mark H. Beers, editor in chief of The Merck Manuals.

As many as 75 million people use the Internet to learn about diseases, symptoms, and treatments.  Estimates of the number of health-related Web sites range from 15 thousand to 100 thousand.  While much of the information is helpful and reliable, studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals show that some sites convey inaccurate information.

"All of the information on the Merck Manual -- Home Edition Web site has been written and reviewed by doctors," said Beers. "Most importantly, the site builds upon what has been the hallmark of the Home Edition: translating complex medical information into easy-to-understand language."

"For years, The Merck Manual has been consulted by physicians as a reliable source of basic information and has become a staple of medical publications," said Dr. Michael DeBakey, director of the DeBakey Heart Clinic at the Baylor College of Medicine, a pioneer in heart bypass surgery and an advocate for putting consumers in touch with quality medical information. "The free, interactive version, as an educational tool, helps patients become more informed partners in their healthcare."  Examples of the multimedia elements include animations of how the heart functions, video of how an egg is fertilized, and the sound of a fetal heartbeat.  Additionally, there is an option to hear the pronunciations of medical terms.

 The Merck Manual of Medical Information -- Home Edition was published in 1997 to help the public in its search for medical information.  It quickly became a best seller with 2 million copies sold worldwide.  Merck and Co., Inc., made available the text-based version free on the Web in March.

The Merck Manual of Medical Information -- Home Edition also is available wherever books are sold, in hardcover ($29.95) and paperback ($7.99 and $19.99).  It is based on The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, first published in 1899 as a resource for physicians.  The oldest continuously published medical textbook in the English language, 17 editions of The Merck Manual have been published.  Admiral Byrd carried The Merck Manual as he flew over the South Pole, and Dr. Schweitzer took it along to Africa.  The Merck Manual is the most widely used medical reference in the world, with a total of 10 million copies sold in 16 languages.

Merck's family of medical references also includes The Merck Manual of Geriatrics, The Merck Veterinary Manual, and The Merck Index (an encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs, and biologicals), all of which are available as books and on CD-ROM.  All these references are published as a non-profit service to the scientific community by Merck & Co., Inc. Merck & Co., Inc., is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of human and animal health products, directly and through its joint ventures, and provides pharmaceutical benefit services through Merck - Medco Managed Care.