Former Director of CDC
Named President of Merck
Dr. Julie Gerberding, former director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, was named president of Merck & Co Inc's
vaccine division, the company said on Monday.
Gerberding, who led the CDC from 2002 to 2009, stepped down when
President Barack Obama took office.
She had led the agency from one crisis to another, including
the investigation into the anthrax attacks that killed five people
in 2001, the H5N1 avian influenza, the global outbreak of severe
acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and various outbreaks of
food poisoning.
"As a preeminent authority in public health, infectious
diseases and vaccines, Dr. Gerberding is the ideal choice to lead
Merck's engagement with organizations around the world that share
our commitment to the use of vaccines to prevent disease and save
lives," Merck Chief Executive Officer Richard Clark said
in a statement.
"I am very excited to be joining Merck where I can help
to expand access to vaccines around the world," added Gerberding,
who will head up the company's $5 billion global vaccine business
that includes shots to prevent chickenpox, cervical cancer and
pneumonia.
Reference Source 89
December 22, 2009
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