CMC Research Introduces the most widely used Medical Reference Text in the World -- The Merck Manual(TM) -- on CD-ROM.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 2, 1995--CMC Research, Inc. today introduced a major addition to its professional medical CD-ROM product line--The Illustrated Merck Manual on CD-ROM. Available for both Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh computers, the new product provides the benefits of rapid computer-aided text searching for one of the medical community's most respected and widely used reference publications. In addition, because it is in electronic form, selections from The Merck Manual on CD-ROM can be copied and printed, combined with illustrations to provide customized patient information, and presented in larger, easy-to-read type.

The Merck Manual is the most widely used medical text in the world. It currently is in its 16th edition, having first appeared in 1899. The book has grown to 289 chapters and almost 2,800 pages from its original 262 pages of text. Yet its primary purpose remains the same--to provide useful clinical information to practicing physicians, medical students, interns, residents and other health care professionals. The Merck Manual on CD-ROM includes the complete text, tables and black-and-white images from The Merck Manual, plus hundreds of new color images especially selected to enhance the accompanying text.

The color images on The Merck Manual were selected by Dr. Allan Bruckheim, M.D., from the files of Hospital Medicine--a journal noted for its excellent medical illustrations--to complement the illustrations in The Merck Manual. "Not only do the illustrations provide physicians with an additional visual perspective of medical entities, but they also help transform this respected medical reference into a highly effective tool for patient education," said Dr. Bruckheim. Dr. Bruckheim is a nationally recognized physician and author of the "Family Doctor" international daily newspaper health column, syndicated by Tribune Media Services, and The Family Doctor CD-ROM, now in its third edition.

Computing Technology designed to aid the practice of medicine

The use of computer technology to provide physicians and other medical professionals with the latest information in a rapidly changing environment is expanding rapidly. "Nearly 75,000 physicians in the United States now own computers with a CD-ROM drive, and the number is expected to double in the next year," said John Calhoun, president of CMC Research.. Moreover, according to a recent study published in Academic Medicine, a simple literature search can often save thousands of dollars in health care costs because authoritative medical information may suggest new or more effective diagnostic tests or therapeutic procedures for patients, and may result in discontinuing procedures or therapies that have been shown to be ineffective in similar patient situations.

The Merck Manual, according to Robert Berkow, M.D., Senior Director of Medical Literature, Merck Research Laboratories and Editor-in-Chief, covers "all but the most obscure disorders of mankind, not only those that a general internist might expect to encounter but also problems associated with pregnancy and delivery; common and serious disorders of neonates, infants, and children;... information for special circumstances, such as radiation reactions and injuries, problems encountered in deep-sea diving, and dental emergencies." The latest edition includes new information about genetic evaluation and counseling, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in children, sports medicine, hospice medicine, cross-cultural issues in medicine, anabolic steroid abuse, and special considerations in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on infants and children.

The Merck Manual also includes a description of current therapy for each disorder supplemented by a separate section on clinical pharmacology that describes general principles, new advances and details of pharmacologic groups and specific agents. Reference guides are provided for checking normal values, for calculating dosages, and for converting weights, measures and volumes to metric equivalents. "We view the availability of The Merck Manual on CD-ROM as another aid to physicians," noted Robert Berkow, M.D. "As computers become a more important resource in medical practices, we believe it makes good sense to provide practitioners with information in multiple formats."

"Hyper-Link" Search Capability

The introduction of The Merck Manual also marks the debut for CMC Research of an improved "look and feel" for the powerful search and retrieval technology used on The Merck Manual. Searching by subject or by a selected word is both fast and powerful--the entire contents of the CD-ROM can be searched in seconds. In addition, images, charts and tables can be viewed in a window merely by clicking on the word "figure," so one can view both the relevant text and illustrations or tables at the same time.

But perhaps the most practical improvement for medical professionals will be noticed via a nearly instantaneous "hyper-link" capability. Each section of The Merck Manual has been cross-referenced with other sections. Thus, when viewing one section of The Merck Manual, other related topics are highlighted. Clicking on those highlighted items immediately calls up the new, related information. And, once the related information has been noted, clicking on the "Go Back" button allows the user to return to the original information or branch out to other areas.

Pricing and Availability

The Merck Manual is available now from CMC Research and will soon be available from selected distributors. World-wide pricing is $95 ($U.S.) plus shipping and handling.

The Merck Manual complements a number of other medical CD-ROM products from CMC Research, including the American Family Physician, The New England Journal of Medicine, Pediatrics, The Annals of Internal Medicine, as well as titles focused on patient education, such as Breast Self-Examination, and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

CMC Research has been producing professional medical titles on CD-ROM since 1987. In addition to continuing to develop and market medical and patient information titles, CMC Research also develops titles for other professional and academic markets, and provides development resources to other organizations, such as museums, computer and software companies and others who need to use CD-ROM to distribute professional and technical reference information.

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Note to Editors: Review Copies of The Illustrated Merck Manual on CD-ROM are available. Please telephone, fax or email your request to the persons listed above.

CONTACT: ALLIANCE CONSULTING GROUP, INC.

Bill Warner or Lee James, 503/452-5920

email: [e-mail]

OR

CMC RESEARCH, INC.

John Calhoun, 503/242-2567

Fax: [phone]

email: [e-mail]