MERCK's NEW HEAD OF U.S. PHARMACEUTICAL OPERATIONS IS JOHN ZABRISKIE, PhD

MERCK's NEW HEAD OF U.S. PHARMACEUTICAL OPERATIONS IS JOHN ZABRISKIE, PhD, former president of Merck Frosst Canada, who assumes the title of Merck Sharp & Dohme president. Zabriskie, 49, succeeds Douglas MacMaster, who moves to the corporate senior exec level, in one of several executive level appointments announced July 27. The changes becomes effective August 1. Zabriskie assumes his new position after five years as president of Merck Frosst Canada. He joined Merck 23 years ago as a senior chemist and has held positions in quality control, manufacturing and marketing, including an assignment as secretary of the company's New Products Committee, Merck said. Zabriskie holds a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Rochester and received his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth. After approximately three years as president of Merck's U.S. drug business, MacMaster moves to corporate senior VP, replacing Howard Powers, who is retiring. MacMaster, 57, will be responsible for manufacturing and technology, Merck Sharp & Dohme AGVET, specialty chemicals, and the Merck Chemical Manufacturing Division. He will report to Merck Chairman and CEO Roy Vagelos. Commenting on MacMaster's performance as head of Merck Sharp & Dohme, Vagelos said: "He has successfully led the division through a time of major new product introductions and competitive challenges to older products . . . Since becoming number one, MSD, under Mr. MacMaster's leadership, has increased its market share and widened the gap between MSD and the number two company." During MacMaster's tenure as head of MS&D since 1985, the company has introduced a wave of major new products, including Vasotec, Prinivil, Mevacor, Pepcid, Noroxin, Primaxin, and Recombivax. John Lyons, 62, formerly executive VP, has been elected vice chairman of the board where he will act as Vagelos' "deputy," Merck explained, "sharing in the board-related workload." Continuing to report to Lyons will be Merck's human pharmaceuticals businesses, and the humans resources function. In addition, Lyons "will continue to play a key role in external affairs," Merck said. He is the chairman-elect of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. Robert Ingram, formerly VP of government relations for the company, will replace Zabriskie as president of Merck Frosst Canada. Ingram has headed Merck's Washington, D.C. office since 1985. He will report to John Lyons. In moves parallel to the domestic management changes, A. E. Cohen, 51, Merck Sharp & Dohme International President, has been named a corporate senior VP, reporting to Vagelos. "In this new role Cohen will carry out projects and assignments of major strategic and tactical impact of Merck," the company said. "The assignments will span the entire scope of Merck -- human and animal health, specialty chemicals, domestic as well as international." Jerry Jackson, previously senior VP of corporate human health marketing, succeeds Cohen as president of Merck Sharp & Dohme International. Louis Privitere, formerly senior VP of Europe and Africa operations, is appointed senior VP of Merck Sharp & Dohme International, reporting to Jackson. The new VP for international health marketing, Merck Sharp & Dohme International, is David Anstice, who had been managing director of Merck Sharp & Dohme Australia. John Walsh, formerly VP of Merck's Latin America operations, is named senior VP of Europe and Africa for Merck Sharp & Dohme International.