A voice for patients

Dr. Michael Rosenblatt, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer - Merck 

I didn’t grow up thinking I wanted to become a chief medical officer (CMO), but at a young age, my love of science and the humanities were equally evident. Fortunately, the medical field gave me the opportunity to combine my two passions into one career.

Being a part of the biopharmaceutical research and development (R&D) process has been incredibly gratifying because our work directly improves people’s lives. Although I loved working as a physician, R&D has allowed me to help more patients than I ever could have reached solely as a practitioner.

One of my greatest memories is the first time I prescribed a medicine I helped to develop – something most doctors don’t get to experience.

The CMO position at Merck is unique because of our focus on the patient. As CMO, I represent the voice of patients and medicine at the highest level inside our organization. The role requires me to understand patient needs and how they perceive the benefits and risks of treatments. I take this role seriously; ensuring patients have a voice is paramount to the work we do at Merck and industry wide.

When I get up and go to work each day, it is my grandchildren who are my true inspiration. I want my granddaughters and grandsons to have more treatment options available to them than have been available to me or my children in our lifetimes. For me, and countless others who work in the biopharmaceutical industry, we see the great promise of the work that we do each and every day to address the remaining unmet medical needs for patients.