Elsevier Buys Healthcare Database Specialist Gold Standard

Healthcare and scientific publisher Elsevier gained the Federal Trade Commission's approval to buy Gold Standard Inc., a U.S. producer of online clinical drug information, databases and software.

Housatonic Partners, a private equity investor in the business services and media markets, was the seller. The Jordan, Edmiston Group Inc., a New York investment bank, represented Gold Standard.

Terms were not disclosed.

The acquisition of the 13-year-old Tampa, FL, company helps boost Elsevier's online clinical reference services and products.

Gold Standard's 83 employees are responsible for generating independent drug information that is disseminated online to more than 1,000 hospitals, retail pharmacy chains and consultancies, health news Web sites, pharmacy and medical schools, and healthcare professionals and consumers.