An in-depth look at big pharma's flagship company

The Merck Druggernaut takes readers inside Merck, the world's
second most profitable drug company and maker of the world's
bestselling drug, Prilosec. Consistently named one of Fortune
magazine's Most Admired Companies, Merck struggles to maintain its
reputation for being the most ethical of the big drug makers,
refusing to slash research and development budgets in the face of
declining profits, falling stock market prices, and questionable
accounting. Author Fran Hawthorne, one of the leading journalists
covering healthcare, has written an excellent examination of a
business paragon with much-needed insight on the cutthroat world of
pharmaceuticals. It's a story that will interest the business world
as well as consumer and healthcare advocates by detailing the vital
issues in medicine and healthcare today. More than just a
compelling story of success in a difficult industry, more than
simply the biography of one of big business's most recognizable
names, The Merck Druggernaut takes a thoughtful look at some of the
major issues of our time and the way those issues intertwine with
the world of business.

Fran Hawthorne (New York, NY) is the Assistant Managing Editor
at Crain's New York Business. She has been covering business for
more than twenty years for such publications as Fortune,
BusinessWeek, and Institutional Investor, with a prevailing
interest in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. At Crain's, she
spearheads the publication of two to three special healthcare
issues per year.