Ruth B. Merkatz, PhD, RN, FAAN

Dr. Merkatz is director of Clinical Development for the Population Council's Reproductive Health program for which she oversees the clinical work for the Council's contraceptive vaginal ring program and other contraceptive formulations in development. She also serves as associate clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health and assistant clinical professor, Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she has also served as co-chair of the hospital's bioethics committee.

Dr. Merkatz spent eight years at Pfizer, Inc. as director of Women's Health. Prior to joining Pfizer, she worked at the US Food and Drug Administration as the special assistant to the commissioner on women's health issues, and subsequently as the first director of the Office of Women's Health.

Dr. Merkatz has received awards for her work in women's health awareness, mammography services, AIDS drug development and excellence in nursing. She holds a BSN from Cornell University, an MSN from Case Western Reserve University, and a PhD from the Adelphi University School of Nursing. Dr. Merkatz has published numerous scientific papers and serves on the editorial advisory board of The Journal of Women’s Health.