For its newly-created post of Chief Medical Officer, drug-maker Merck & Co has appointed the 62-year-old Harvard-trained endocrinologist, Dr. Michael Rosenblatt, who has been serving as the dean of Tufts University School of Medicine since 2003.

As the Chief Medical Officer, Rosenblatt, who will also be the Executive Vice President, will report to Merck Chairman and CEO Richard Clark. He will serve on the Merck Executive Committee, and will lead the company's Global Center for Scientific Affairs.

In the new position, Rosenblatt - who had worked at Merck in the late 1980s and helped in the development of osteoporosis drug Fosamax - will ensure patient safety and serve as a mediator between patients, physicians, and policymakers with medical issues.

Appreciating Merck for building a great foundation in the scientific innovation arena and committing itself to the well-being of patients worldwide, Rosenblatt said that the drug-maker has "an amazing team of researchers and scientists in place to drive the next wave of innovative products and services that save and improve lives."

The recipient of many awards, including the Fuller Albright Award for his work on parathyroid hormone, the Chairman's Award from Merck, and the Vincent du Vigneaud Award in peptide chemistry and biology, Rosenblatt, on his new appointment at Merck, said: "look forward to working with my colleagues to make a difference in the lives of people around the world."