Merck Manuals Announces Global Medical Knowledge Awareness Day

KENILWORTH, N.J., Oct. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck Manuals, one of the world's most widely used medical resources since 1899, today announced Global Medical Knowledge Awareness Day to be held on October 15, 2020. The Manuals is calling on people around the world to participate in the day by learning more about their own health and showing support for credible, accurate medical information. The international event is a natural continuation of The Manuals' Global Medical Knowledge 2020 initiative, which set out in 2015 to make the best current medical information accessible by up to three billion professionals and patients around the world by 2020.

Established in 2015, Global Medical Knowledge 2020 was the farthest-reaching medical knowledge initiative to date. Today, The Manuals' credible and objective medical information is now available with no ads and no registration requirements in 241 countries and 11 languages. The trusted expertise of more than 350 medical professionals is available to more than three billion people worldwide. As The Manuals pursued this goal, it committed to providing reliable medical information in new and engaging formats, which now include dozens of editorials, the Medical Myths Podcast, over 650 Quick Facts, the Merck Manuals website (known as MSD outside of the U.S. and Canada) and four mobile apps.

"Five years ago, we embarked on an ambitious and essential journey to bring accurate and credible medical information to three billion people around the globe," said Robert S. Porter, M.D., Merck Manuals Editor-in-Chief. "Today with the reality of global pandemics, that mission feels more important than ever. With Global Medical Knowledge Awareness Day, we're taking the next step in underscoring the importance of making medical information accessible to everyone. We're giving patients and professionals alike the tools they need to find and share credible medical resources with friends and family. Medical knowledge is power. Pass it on."

GLOBAL MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE AWARENESSS DAY

To show their support, health professionals and consumers can participate in Global Medical Knowledge Awareness Day by taking the following steps:

• G – Get Smart About Your Health: Take your health knowledge to the next level by learning about the connection between better medical knowledge and better health outcomes. Commit to reading one health article a week and engaging in lifelong learning around medical knowledge.
• M – Make Sure Your Health Sources are Credible: Learn what sets good health information apart and bookmark sites like The Merck Manuals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to stay informed about your own health.
• K – Keep Sharing Accurate and Current Medical Knowledge: Showcase your commitment by adding the Global Medical Knowledge badge to your social profiles and talking to family and friends about the importance of accurate medical knowledge.

With these steps, individuals are encouraged to take specific actions, including adding a Global Medical Knowledge Badge to their social profiles, bookmarking MerckManuals.com and having conversations with friends and family members about the importance of current, reliable medical information.

While Global Medical Knowledge 2020 has accomplished its stated goal, The Manuals remains committed to expanding access to reliable medical information and developing new and insightful medical resources in the most accessible and effective formats for medical professionals and consumers around the world.

To participate in Global Medical Knowledge Awareness Day, visit www.merckmanuals.com 

About The Merck Manuals and MSD Manuals

First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, The Merck Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the world's most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. As The Manual evolved, it continually expanded the reach and depth of its offerings to reflect the mission of providing the best medical information to a wide cross-section of users, including medical professionals and students, veterinarians and veterinary students, and consumers. In 2015, The Manuals kicked off Global Medical Knowledge 2020, a global initiative with the goal to make the best current medical information accessible by up to three billion professionals and patients around the world by 2020. The Manuals achieved that goal, and today its medical information is available in more than 241 counties and in nearly a dozen languages. It's continuing its ambitious mission through outreach, education and creating new reliable medical resources. For access to thousands of medical topics with images, videos and a constantly expanding set of resources, visit MerckManuals.com or MSDManuals.com and connect with us on social media:
For Consumers in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook
For Professionals in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook

About Merck

For more than 125 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world.  For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

SOURCE The Merck Manuals

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