Jacobson joins Merck's board of directors

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. Merck has announced that Harry Jacobson, has joined the company’s board of directors. Currently, he serves as the vice chancellor for health affairs at Vanderbilt University.

Jacobson is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians and the Society of Medical Administrators. Jacobson is a member of the prestigious Institute of Medicine and also participates on the board of directors of the Nashville Health Care Council, the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Ingram Industries and Kinetic Concepts Inc.

He joined the Vanderbilt Medical School faculty in 1985 as professor of medicine and director of the division of nephrology and in 1997 became vice chancellor for health affairs. As part of his current role, Jacobson serves as chief executive officer of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Jacobson will be one of 12 outside directors on the 13-member board. He will stand for election by the company’s stockholders in April 2008.