Dr. Floyd J. Malveaux, Former Dean of the College of Medicine at Howard University, to Lead New Merck Childhood Asthma Network
Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that Floyd Malveaux, M.D., Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert on asthma and allergic diseases, will become the Executive Director of the new Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. (MCAN), effective Aug. 15, 2005. Dr. Malveaux retired as Dean of the College of Medicine and Professor of Microbiology at Howard University on July 31.
MCAN, a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C., will address the complex and persistent problem of asthma among children in the United States by working to improve access to quality childhood asthma management and care and to implement in communities around the country effective interventions that reduce morbidity. The Merck Company Foundation will support the initiative with a commitment of up to $20 million during the next four years.
Dr. Malveaux, who has substantial clinical and research experience in childhood asthma, led Howard University’s participation in several multi-million dollar initiatives to identify and address risk factors that contribute to increased asthma morbidity among inner-city children and to develop effective, community-based interventions to reduce and prevent asthma among at-risk populations. In addition, Dr. Malveaux has worked extensively to address health disparities and improve the quality of health care and health outcomes, especially among low-income, urban and underserved populations.
“We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Dr. Malveaux’s caliber at the helm as the Merck Childhood Asthma Network gets under way. His extraordinary experience as a leader in these fields will help the Network promote the development of new comprehensive, evidence-based models for improving the care of children with asthma,” said David A. Ruth, Executive Vice President of The Merck Company Foundation. “We are honored to have him join us to help address this important child health issue.”
“I am pleased to join the Merck Childhood Asthma Network at this stage in my professional career and look forward to working with local communities, academics, health officials and others to improve the quality of childhood asthma management and care,” said Dr. Malveaux.
Asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization among children younger than age 15 in the United States, and, as of 2003, costs the nation (in direct medical and indirect costs) approximately $14.3 billion annually. In addition, children living in poverty, especially in inner cities, continue to suffer disproportionately from asthma than do other children.
In late 2005, MCAN expects to announce five to seven comprehensive, evidence-based childhood asthma programs to receive grant awards as participants in the Network. For more information, visit www.merck.com/about/cr/mcan.
A native of Louisiana, Dr. Malveaux received a B.S. degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and a M.S. degree from Loyola University in New Orleans. He earned a Ph.D. degree in Microbiology and Public Health from Michigan State University and his Doctor of Medicine degree, with honors, from the Howard University College of Medicine.
Dr. Malveaux received specialty training in Internal Medicine at the Washington Hospital Center in the District of Columbia and subspecialty training in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He returned in 1978 to the Department of Medicine at Howard University and established the Conjoint Training Program in Allergy and Immunology. In 1984, he joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins University where, as a member of the Division of Clinical Immunology, he initiated studies on asthma mortality and morbidity. Dr. Malveaux returned to Howard University in 1989 as Chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Associate Professor of Microbiology and Medicine. He became Dean in 1995 of the Howard University College of Medicine. From July 1996 until 2001, Dr. Malveaux served as interim Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean, and Professor of Microbiology and Medicine. From 2001 to 2002, he served as Vice Provost for Health Affairs and Dean of the College of Medicine. He remained Dean of the College of Medicine and Professor of Microbiology at Howard University until his retirement this year.
Dr. Malveaux is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. He is active in numerous professional organizations and is, or has served as, a member of the Board of Directors of the American Lung Association; the National Allergy and Infectious Diseases Advisory Council; chairman of the Committee of Underrepresented Minorities, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; the Board of Trustees of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America; the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health; and the HHS/APHA Steering Committee of the Initiative to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. He has held a number of positions with the National Medical Association including member of the Board of Trustees (1988-1994) and first chair of the Allergy/Immunology Section. Dr. Malveaux was founder and president of the Urban Asthma and Allergy Center in Baltimore from 1986 to 1989.
Dr. Malveaux is the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health, the Vivian B. Allen Foundation Fellowship, the Clemens von Pirquet Research Award from the Georgetown School of Medicine, the Outstanding Faculty Research Award from Howard University and the Legacy of Leadership Award from Howard University Hospital.
About The Merck Company Foundation
The Merck Company Foundation is a U.S.-based, private charitable foundation. Established in 1957 by Merck & Co., Inc., the Foundation is funded entirely by the Company and is Merck’s chief source of funding support to qualified non-profit, charitable organizations. The mission of the Foundation is to support organizations and innovative programs that: expand access to medicines, vaccines and quality healthcare; build capacity in the biomedical and health sciences; promote environments that encourage innovation, economic growth and development in a fair and ethical context; and support communities where Merck has a major presence. Since its inception, The Merck Company Foundation has contributed US$424 million to support important initiatives that address societal needs and are consistent with Merck’s overall mission to enhance the health and well-being of people around the world.
About Merck
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines in more than 20 therapeutic categories. The company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck’s business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements in Item 1 of Merck’s Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004, and in its periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, which the company incorporates by reference.