The Merck Manuals are medical reference books produced by pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.

Merck & Co.

Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...

 that cover a wide range of medical topics, including disorders, tests, diagnoses, and drugs. These manuals were originally developed in book form, and have been updated and converted to online multimedia formats that also include audio, 3D models, and animations.

The first Merck manual, Merck's Manual of the Materia Medica (1899), was a small reference book that became widely used: by the 1980s it had become the world's best-selling medical text. Since then, several manuals have been produced, and are regularly updated. The titles include:

• The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, commonly called The Merck Manual. This is the descendant of the 1899 book. The Merck Manual—Home Health Handbook is a consumer edition, introduced in 1997. The Merck Manual of Patient Symptoms is a small printed reference summary of symptoms intended for medical students, physician assistants, and the like.
• The Merck Index is aimed at chemists; originally published in 1889, it predates The Merck Manual.
• The Merck Veterinary Manual, introduced in 1955, covers animal health care. The Merck / Merial Manual for Pet Health is a consumer edition.
• The Merck Manual of Geriatrics was introduced in 1990, focusing on health care for older patients. The Merck Manual of Health & Aging is a consumer edition.

External links

• The Merck Manuals