ST. GEORGE, Utah, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ — During this time of economic instability, there is a different type of belt tightening going on at a luxury destination spa in Utah’s red rock canyon country. Green Valley Spa has become the first destination spa in the U.S. to offer a medically guided weight loss program founded on the Simeons hCG hormone diet. Average weight loss on the 23-day program is a pound a day. The minimum stay for the hCG weight loss program at Green Valley is seven nights with a cost of $995.00 above the basic, all-inclusive spa package. Visit http://www.greenvalleyspa.com/ for more details on packages and the science behind the weight loss therapy.

Over 30 people have already completed the three-week program, with very promising results. While most spas are reporting revenues down as much as 20% over this economically rocky time, Green Valley is experiencing a 30% increase in bookings over the same dates last year.

Gordon Reynolds, M.D., a former Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA and Loma Linda University with over 50 years of experience practicing medicine, including five at Green Valley, is very enthusiastic about offering the program.

“We are witnessing a resurgence of one of the only truly safe, successful weight loss programs for both men and women ever supported by five-year follow-up studies,” explains Dr. Reynolds, renowned for his work in holistic wellness built on a solidly traditional medical background and for founding the Life Fitness & Longevity Program at La Costa Spa in California in the late 1980s. “Not only did the hCG diet study reveal absolutely no negative side effects, but it also showed that 85% of the participants in the study remained within 10% of their newly achieved weight goal, with none regaining all their weight. No other program can claim this.”

The use of hCG in the treatment of obesity was discovered by the late British Physician, Dr. A. T. W. Simeons, and he published his first report on the topic in 1954. He devoted years to researching the causes and treatments of obesity and his work showed that with low doses of hCG and a 500 calorie a day diet, users reported no headaches, hunger pains, weakness, or irritability and an average weight loss of one pound a day and no muscle loss. Those interested in the program are invited to download Dr. Simeons’ complete study from the spa’s Website, at no cost to them.

“We opened this spa over two decades ago in concert with a program about resetting your fat thermostat,” explains Green Valley’s co-owner, Alan Coombs. “We’re thrilled to have come full circle to a proven, safe and permanent solution. And in these turbulent times, it is so gratifying to help people get control of a key part of their lives.”

Green Valley has garnered a list of accolades since it was founded 23 years ago by the Coombs family. The July 2008 issue of Health Magazine named the 50-room, family owned destination spa as one of the “Top Ten Healthiest Spas in America.” Luxury Spa Finder readers said Green Valley had the “Best Rooms” and the “Best Hiking” program of any U.S. destination spa while a Travel & Leisure Magazine Reader’s Poll named the luxury wellness retreat the #3 spa in the world.

Green Valley Spa

CONTACT: Kim Marshall, +1-310-452-1234, [email protected], forGreen Valley Spa

Web site: http://www.greenvalleyspa.com/

The 2008 Mid-Atlantic Bio takes place October 22, 2008 – October 24, 2008 at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles in Chantilly. Listed below are the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Bio exhibitor profiles.

For in-depth information about the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Bio, visit http://midatlanticbio.org/.

Business Wire is the official news wire for the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Bio. Breaking news releases and photos are available at http://www.tradeshownews.com, Business Wire’s trade show, conference, and event news resource.

 Company:                          Alba Therapeutics Corporation Date of Presentation:             10/24/2008 Media Contact:                    Wendy Perrow Phone:                            410-319-0780 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.albatherapeutics.com Alba is focused on the development of therapies to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Alba's technology platform is based upon the regulation of tight junctions in cell barriers throughout the body. Alba has completed four clinical trials in celiac disease and believes that these studies demonstrate the safety and tolerability of Larazotide Acetate. Alba estimates the worldwide market for its celiac disease therapy could exceed $1 billion. Alba has a major $325 million collaboration with Shire Pharmaceuticals to jointly develop Larazotide Acetate. Alba was founded in 2004 and currently leases space at the University of Maryland BioPark. Alba has attracted over $50 million in investments since its inception. Current investors include SVLS, AltaPartners and Healthcap with additional participation by Red Abbey and MDBED.   Company:                          AparnaBio Date of Presentation:             Thursday Oct 23, 2008 Media Contact:                    Mark Berninger Phone:                            301-770-2101 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.aparnabio.com AparnaBio is a early stage biotech R&D company in Rockville, Maryland, developing research reagent and therapeutic products based on a "tunable" polyamide nanoparticle technology platform that accommodates charged and macromolecular agents and can provide tissue targeting surface decoration. Initial products include in vivo transfection reagents, therapeutic treatment for invasive fungal infection and non-small cell lung cancer. AparnaBio has growing revenues and collaborations with academic and industry laboratories.   Company:                          Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. Date of Presentation:             October 24, 2008 8:30am Media Contact:                    Laura Liotta (SamBrown Inc) Phone:                            (610) 353-4545 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.avidrp.com At Avid, our mission is to develop new molecular imaging agents capable of changing the medical management of significant chronic human diseases. We have assembled an outstanding management team with extensive imaging and CNS development experience to help make pre- symptomatic disease detection a reality. Avid's pipeline of imaging compounds has the potential to dramatically alter the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Parkinson's disease and Diabetes Mellitus. This is possible because our molecular imaging compounds may be able to detect the first stages of pathological change; allowing early treatment and management of people at risk - before symptoms of disease can develop.   Company:                          BioMarker Strategies Date of Presentation:             10/23/2008 Media Contact:                    Scott Allocco, President Phone:                            410-522-1008 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.biomarkerstrategies.com BioMarker Strategies, a tissue-based cancer diagnostics company at the Johns Hopkins Science+Technology Park in Baltimore, is developing the SnapPath(TM) live tumor cell processing and testing system. This pathology-based medical device will use proprietary methods to automatically process biopsies at the point of care--in a novel manner that preserves dynamic biomarkers that are lost during traditional tumor processing. SnapPath(TM) will also serve as a live cell testing platform for our ex-vivo biomarker tests that are being designed to determine which patients will benefit from specific targeted cancer drugs. The SnapPath(TM) system will facilitate the development of targeted cancer therapeutics and molecular diagnostic tests to help enable personalized medicine for cancer.   Company:                          Calibrant Biosystems, Inc. Date of Presentation:             10/23/2008 Media Contact:                    Michael L. Salgaller, PhD Phone:                            301-977-7900 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.calibrant.com Calibrant's proteomic technology is pioneering the development of novel therapeutics using the Gemini(TM) discovery and development engine to elucidate disease pathways and protein networks from targeted cells captured from clinical tissue specimens and body fluids. Our technology enables comprehensive and quantitative protein profiling of isolated and homogeneous cell populations from clinically-relevant samples, allowing us to approach the full biology of disease pathogenesis with exquisite sensitivity. Coupled with an integrated bioinformatics suite enabling effective data mining within a biological context, Calibrant's approach provides unique benefits for drug discovery, drug development, and the identification of predictive markers for personalized medicine.   Company:                          Chikujee Therapeutics Date of Presentation:             10/23/2008 Media Contact:                    Jenny Smith Phone:                            240-422-2118 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.Chikujee.com Chikujee Therapeutics is focused on designing, developing and commercializing next generation therapeutics using our patent-pending class of multifunctional nanoparticles. Chikujee uses NanoBindi(TM) based integrated disease management platform that utilizes our proprietary BOSH-containing polymers. Chikujee Therapeutics has developed product engines that have broad applications in life- sciences, primarily in biopharmaceutical industries. We believe there is significant value in "product engines." The initial focus of Chikujee Therapeutics will be to develop market leading blockbuster products for integrated cancer management that addresses, targeted drug delivery and monitoring, and clinical efficacy of the drugs for cancer using its proprietary multifunctional NanoBindis.   Company:                          Gliknik Inc. Date of Presentation:             10/23/2008 Media Contact:                    David Block Phone:                            410.685.0662 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.gliknik.com Gliknik is a clinical-stage company developing highly novel products and platforms in immunology and tumor immunology. Stradobodies are monoclonal antibody mimetics changed to enhance tumor cell killing. Stradomers are recombinant proteins that function like IVIG. The company has lead compounds identified in both of these programs. Gliknik's Trojan Peptide Vaccines are therapeutic cancer vaccines designed having learned from cancer therapeutic vaccines that have previously been in patients. Two compounds are in testing in patients with advanced Head and Neck Cancer. The underlying platform is expandable to other tumor types. Gliknik is located at the UM Baltimore BioPark in Baltimore.   Company:                          HemoSonics, LLC Date of Presentation:             Thursday, October 23rd Media Contact:                    William F. Walker, President Phone:                            434-962-2269 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.hemosonics.com HemoSonics is developing a point-of-care (POC) blood analyzer to diagnose and guide the treatment of excessive bleeding and overactive clotting. Ours will be the first POC product capable of quantifying the contributions of coagulation factors and platelets to clotting. We utilize a patented ultrasound-based technology implemented in off- the-shelf electronics, for a compact, low-cost, and easy-to-use system. The diagnostic information provided by our product is critically needed to guide patient care in a variety of clinical settings including the OR, ER, and ICU. The addressable annual market for this product exceeds $3.3B.   Company:                          I3 Oncology, LLC Date of Presentation:             10/23/2008 Media Contact:                    Mark Ricigliano Phone:                            (301) 317-7160 E-mail:                           [email protected] I3 Oncology, LLC is an early stage life science company located in Baltimore, Maryland that offers oncologists a novel approach to dramatically improve the clinical outcome of chemotherapy for treatment refractory cancer patients. Current chemotherapy selection is based on subjective criteria with an efficacy of less than 20% for most cancer patients. Our diagnostic test, Insignia PGx, provides oncologists with the pharmacogenetic basis for chemotherapy selection based on the individual patient's tumor characteristics thereby dramatically improving the clinical outcome. Insignia PGx research was funded by NIH grants and its patents were licensed from Johns Hopkins University.   Company:                          Keraderm LLC Date of Presentation:             October 23rd Media Contact:                    Bill Cumbie Phone:                            757-344-8607 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.keraderm.com Keraderm's innovative light-based technology can treat infections without the serious side effects that many medications and can effectively treat infections caused by drug resistant organisms such as MRSA. Keraderm has obtained patents on its key technologies to treat infections and has a number of additional patent applications pending on refinements of its technology. Published studies indicate that the technology can safely and effectively treat infections. In 2009, Keraderm plans to obtain FDA 510k clearance to commercialize its treatment for nail infections making it the first safe and efficacious phototherapy treatment in this $1.5B market.   Company:                          Midwest Proteomics Date of Presentation:             October 23rd 2008 Media Contact:                    Frank Blainey Phone:                            (804) 677-3177 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.midwestproteomics.com Midwest Proteomics is a biomarker discovery group, based in Richmond Virginia, with a proprietary life-sciences software platform that includes advanced validation techniques. The Company's mission is to advance pharmaceutical/biological discovery using computational informatics technology to facilitate novel drug target identification and optimize preclinical studies. In 2008 Midwest Proteomics' software platform was recognized at the Molecular Medicine Symposium, as well as by the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for advancing biomarker research. Midwest Proteomics' proprietary software and databases embodies the cutting edge of computational biology.   Company:                          Neuronascent, Inc. Date of Presentation:             10/23/2008 Media Contact:                    Kathleen L. Mattis Phone:                            410-258-0935 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.neuronascent.com Neuronascent Inc. uses a proprietary drug discovery platform to discover and develop novel "neurogenic" small-molecule therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease, depression and ischemia. Lead compounds are in preclinical testing. Studies indicate that our chemically-diverse, orally-active "neurogenic" agents, which are owned by the company for use and composition, promote the formation of new neurons in key areas of the brain that replace damaged neurons, reduce the loss of neurons over time and self-repair brain cells that are injured or become dysfunctional in neurodegenerative diseases. Animal studies show a reversal of cognitive loss in aged mice to young levels   Company:                          OTraces Date of Presentation:             Thursday, October 23, 2008 Media Contact:                    Richard Wathen Phone:                            703-967-5450 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.otraces.com The cancer diagnostic market lacks highly specific and sensitive, yet simple screening blood tests. OTraces, Inc. has combined highly innovative technology developments to produce practical blood tests for such cancers for the first time. The products are fully developed and ready for regulatory approval. OTraces' blood tests are both highly specific and sensitive, with false negative and positive counts of about 5%. This level of performance far exceeds any current screening diagnostic method for cancer. The overall screening market for oncology (Breast, Ovarian, Colon, Prostate, Lung and Melanoma) is estimated to be $3.3, billion and $7.4 billion, worldwide.   Company:                          Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc Date of Presentation:             10/24/2008 Media Contact:                    Jack Khattar Phone:                            301-838-2500 E-mail:                           [email protected] Web:                              www.supernus.com Supernus is a neuroscience company developing specialty products using its patented and proven technologies and product development capabilities. Supernus is dedicated to improving the lives of people suffering from diseases of the central nervous system. The company's expertise has been built over the past 18 years. Supernus purchased significantly all the assets of Shire Laboratories that was a subsidiary of Shire. Products utilizing Supernus' technologies include Adderall XRy, Carbatroly, Equetroy, Oracea(R), Sanctura(R) XR, Intuniv and Remodulin(R) Oral. Supernus' pipeline includes two epilepsy products (Phase III in 2009) followed by three psychiatry products (Phase II). The company plans on building its commercial organization with dedicated sales force for neurology and psychiatry, and seeking partners for primary care and ex-US markets. 

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FARMINGTON, Conn., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ — Launched in September 2006, NAABT.org’s (http://www.naabt.org/) free and anonymous online matching system has connected nearly 14,000 addicted patients with physicians certified to prescribe Suboxone for opioid addiction.

Less than 2% of US physicians are allowed by law to prescribe this treatment, and those that do have a Congress imposed limit on how many patients they can treat (30 or 100 based on how long they have been certified).

Virtually all US physicians can prescribe, without limits, the medication people become addicted to, but once addicted, less than 2% of doctors are legally able to treat them with the most effective FDA approved medications.

Prescription painkiller addiction has reached epidemic status according to many experts. Physicians have effective tools in their arsenal but are restricted in saving lives due to stigma and outdated laws that ration this lifesaving healthcare. Helping patients find a physician able to help them saves lives.

How the system works: Patients who can’t find a doctor register anonymously online. Instantly, an email goes out to all participating physicians alerting them to a patient near them in need of help. Doctors review the patient details and respond if they have an opening and meet the patient’s needs. Patients then receive an email with the doctor’s contact info and a short note, sometimes within minutes of reaching out for help.

Background: An outdated 1914 law, still on the books, prevents doctors from prescribing the most effective FDA approved opioid addiction medications currently available. In 2000 an amendment to this law was passed that allowed doctors to prescribe certain medications specifically FDA approved for the treatment of opioid addiction, if the physician passed a mandatory training, but still limited the physician to only helping 30 patients at any one time. This led to long patient waiting lists and some patients dying while waiting for this lifesaving treatment. In 2006 the patient limit was upped to 100 for doctors who had been certified for more than one year. Still finding a doctor close by and one who accepts their insurance is very difficult for patients looking to end their addictions. The matching system helps these patients.

Anonymous patient — “I was ready to give up, then I received a doctor email a few hours after registering … and on a Sunday! It was so much easier to call back a doctor who I already knew wanted to treat me. I had an appointment the next day and life has been better ever since.”

Patient registration page for the matching system https://www.naabt.org/patient_doctor/patient_login.cfm.

About http://www.naabt.org/ National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment is a 501c3 non-profit organization charged with the mission to:

— Educate the public about the disease of opioid addiction and the buprenorphine treatment option.

— Help reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with patients with addiction disorders.

— Serve as a conduit connecting patients in need of treatment to qualified treatment providers.

Home page: http://www.naabt.org/ order a free resource kit, print or download literature and studies, read what real patients in treatment say.

Read what other patients say or ask them a question on the online community http://www.addictionsurvivors.org/.

Understand the laws about treating opioid addiction http://www.naabt.org/laws.cfm.

NAABT, Inc.

CONTACT: NAABT, Inc., +1-860-269-4390, [email protected]

Web site: http://www.naabt.org/http://www.naabt.org/laws.cfmhttps://www.naabt.org/patient_doctor/patient_login.cfm

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 21, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. (Nasdaq:CHTP) announced that an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recently met to review patient safety and efficacy data for Chelsea’s Phase II trial of CH-1504 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and recommended that each arm of the study continue as planned.

“We are very encouraged that this DSMB review provided us with a recommendation to continue each arm of the study as planned,” commented Dr. Simon Pedder, President and CEO of Chelsea Therapeutics. “We believe there is a significant market opportunity for a better tolerated, safer version of methotrexate and that our portfolio of metabolically inert antifolates offers a unique opportunity to provide an improved disease modifying therapeutic option for RA patients. We believe this trial will validate earlier clinical findings by demonstrating CH-1504 has at least comparable efficacy to methotrexate while maintaining superior safety and tolerability and are eagerly looking forward to the full results of this trial early next year.”

This 12-week, 4-arm, parallel group Phase II clinical trial will enroll 200 patients and is designed to provide a head-to-head comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg once daily oral doses of CH-1504 versus a 20 mg once weekly oral dose of methotrexate (MTX) in a MTX naive RA patient population. During their review of un-blinded data, the DSMB evaluated all the safety and efficacy data related to the first 100 patients in the study and found both a sufficient efficacy signal and acceptable safety profile to recommend continuation of each arm of the trial.

The primary efficacy endpoint of this study is to determine the percent of patients with ACR 20 response at the end of 12 weeks. An ACR 20 response is a standard efficacy measure that requires at least a 20% improvement in a number of different measures of disease activity. As the improved safety and tolerability of CH-1504 is expected to be a significant advantage over MTX, the trial will also compare a cluster of gastrointestinal system related adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, frequently seen with MTX use as well as closely monitor the results of standard liver function tests across dose groups.

In parallel to its development of CH-1504, Chelsea has also begun validating the potency of additional compounds in its library of metabolically inert antifolates. In March of 2008, the Company reported significant efficacy of CH-4051, the second compound from this portfolio, in the reduction of collagen-induced arthritis in an animal model. In light of the positive DSMB assessment of its Phase II trial of CH-1504, Chelsea intends to continue the current Phase II trial and to initiate its planned Phase I study of CH-4051 later this quarter.

About CH-1504

CH-1504 is the lead product candidate in Chelsea’s portfolio of novel antifolate compounds developed by Dr. Gopal Nair and licensed by the company in 2004. An orally available and metabolically inert antifolate with potent anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, CH-1504 potently inhibits several key enzymes that are required for cell proliferation. Preclinical and clinical data to date suggests superior safety and tolerability, as well as increased potency versus MTX, currently the leading antifolate treatment and standard of care for a broad range of abnormal cell proliferation diseases. Diseases that may potentially benefit from the compound include RA, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and other immunological disorders.

About Chelsea Therapeutics

Chelsea Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical development company that acquires and develops innovative products for the treatment of a variety of human diseases. The Company is currently developing a library of metabolically inert antifolate compounds engineered to have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activity to treat a range of immunological disorders. Early clinical data suggests that Chelsea’s lead antifolate compound, CH-1504, is a safe and effective treatment alternative to methotrexate for RA and may have further applications for psoriasis, IBD and certain cancers. Chelsea’s antifolate program is complemented by the development of the I-3D portfolio of therapeutics targeting immune-mediated inflammatory disorders and transplantation. In addition to its autoimmune pipeline, Chelsea is developing Droxidopa, an orally active synthetic precursor of norepinephrine, for the treatment of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. Currently approved and marketed in Japan, Droxidopa has accumulated over 15 years of proven safety and efficacy, historically generating annual revenues of approximately $50 million in Japan.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events. These statements are just predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include reliance on collaborations and licenses, risks and costs of drug development, regulatory approvals, intellectual property risks, our reliance on our lead drug candidate, our history of losses and need to raise more money, competition, market acceptance for our products if any are approved for marketing, reliance on key personnel including specifically Dr. Pedder, management of rapid growth, and the need to acquire or develop additional products.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com

 CONTACT:  Chelsea Therapeutics           Nick Riehle, Chief Financial Officer             704-973-4201           Kathryn McNeil, Investor/Media Relations             718-788-2856 

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) new recommendation to double the amount of vitamin D for children and adolescents * to help combat the re-emergence of rickets and provide other health benefits, reinforces the importance of including dairy foods in the diet. Along with milk and cheese, yogurt such as Yoplait(R) — the only leading brand of yogurt with vitamin D and calcium in every cup — provides a good way to help children and adults get the recommended amount of these two important bone nutrients.

“Yoplait yogurt is the only leading brand of yogurt fortified with vitamin D in every cup to provide an excellent source of both calcium and vitamin D in every 6 ounce cup,” said Suzanne Skapyak, Registered Dietitian and senior nutrition scientist at the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition. “Based on the new recommendations, it is clear we need to do a better job of incorporating vitamin D into our children’s diets. Yoplait yogurt offers a large variety of flavors to help the whole family get adequate dairy and the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D important for bone health.”

Recent data shows adults are also falling short on nutrients important for bone health with 76 percent of the population not getting enough vitamin D and 72 percent not getting enough calcium in their daily diet.**,*** These statistics reinforce the need for more foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. The new announcement follows a 2006 AAP report which states that eating dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt during childhood and adolescence can help build strong bones and reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life.***

Calcium and vitamin D work together to build strong bones, with vitamin D aiding calcium absorption. Vitamin D also works in the kidneys to increase calcium re-sorption and limit urinary calcium loss.

Yoplait Products Sampling

 Serving Vitamin Calcium Product                                         Size    D      (% DV) (% DV) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Original 99% Fat Free Fruit          6 oz     20      20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Light Fruit Flavors                  6 oz     20      20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Thick and Creamy                     6 oz     20      30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Light Thick and Creamy Fruit         6 oz Flavors                                                 20      20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Whips!(TM) Flavors                   4 oz     10      15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Chocolate Whips!(TM)                 4 oz     10      10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Kids Yogurt                          4 oz     10      20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) Yo-Plus Yogurt                       4 oz     10      15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoplait(R) FiberOne Yogurt                      4 oz     15      10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

About General Mills

One of the world’s leading food companies, General Mills operates in over 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had FY2008 global net sales of US $14.9 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales.

* American Academy of Pediatrics, Clinical Report “Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children and Adolescents,” 2008

** National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2004

*** American Academy of Pediatrics, Optimizing bone health and calcium intakes of infants, children, and adolescents, Pediatrics. 2006

Dutch biopharma company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, Nasdaq: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) today announced that an agreement was reached to relocate Crucell’s Korean production facility, where its pentavalent children’s vaccine Quinvaxem(R) and a hepatitis B vaccine Hepavax-Gene(R) are produced, from the Shingal site in Yongin City, Korea to the Incheon Free Economic Zone.

All parties involved have agreed on the time line and conditions of this relocation, enabling a smooth transition to the new production facility. With engineering well underway, construction activities at the new site are due to start soon. The new facility will enable the further growth and efficient production of Quinvaxem(R) and Hepavax-Gene(R). No further details were provided.

“We are pleased that we were able to settle all litigation around our production facility amicably, on terms beneficiary to all parties. Production of Quinvaxem(R) at our existing site in Shingal has already doubled compared to last year, and the new production facility will support the expected growth of our flagship products in the years to come.” said Cees de Jong, Chief Operating Officer of Crucell.

About Crucell

Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) is a global biotechnology company focused on research, development, production and marketing of vaccines, proteins and antibodies that prevent and treat primarily infectious diseases. Its vaccines are sold in public and private markets worldwide. Crucell’s core portfolio includes a vaccine against hepatitis B, a fully-liquid vaccine against five important childhood diseases and a virosome-adjuvanted vaccine against influenza. Crucell also markets travel vaccines, such as the only oral anti-typhoid vaccine, an oral cholera vaccine and the only aluminum-free hepatitis A vaccine on the market. The Company has a broad development pipeline, with several product candidates based on its unique PER.C6(R) production technology. The Company licenses its PER.C6(R) technology and other technologies to the biopharmaceutical industry. Important partners and licensees include DSM Biologics, sanofi-aventis, Novartis, Wyeth and Merck & Co. Crucell is headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands, with subsidiaries in Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Sweden, Korea and the US. The Company employs over a 1000 people. For more information, please visit www.crucell.com.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We have identified certain important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements. For information relating to these factors please refer to our Form 20-F, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7, 2008, and the section entitled “Risk Factors”. The Company prepares its financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

 For further information please contact: Oya Yavuz Director Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Tel: +31-(0)71-519 7064 [email protected] 

This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

PDF file: http://hugin.info/132631/R/1261549/276291.pdf

Copyright Copyright Hugin AS 2008. All rights reserved.

SOURCE: Crucell N.V.

Regulatory News:

For the first time lung transplantations have been performed in North America using the STEEN Solution(TM) technology. The transplantations were done in Toronto, Canada, and are part of the study that is being carried out as a basis for the application for sales approval in the USA and Canada. “It is very good to be able to observe that three further patients with lung disease have been able to be helped by means of this new technology, that it has been adopted by North America’s most experienced lung transplantation clinic and that the clinical study involving our unique product is now well underway,” says Magnus Nilsson, Vitrolife’s CEO.

At the beginning of September Vitrolife (STO: VITR) announced that approval had been received from the Canadian authorities to start a study with STEEN Solution(TM). The study, which has been designed in consultation with the American FDA, is planned for quarters three to four of 2008 and will be the key element in the application for sales approval in USA and Canada. It is within the framework of this study that the first three transplantations have now been carried out in Toronto in Canada.

The first lung transplantation outside Sweden using the STEEN Solution(TM) technology was recently performed. The transplantation was carried out in one of the large EU countries and within the region there are a further number of clinics in the starting blocks, ready to use the technology. Earlier on in the development and the first clinical use eight transplantations have been carried out using STEEN Solution(TM) at the University Hospital of Lund, where this pioneering technology was developed under the leadership of Professor Stig Steen.

Vitrolife’s product STEEN Solution(TM) is part of a new method for functional testing and preservation of lungs outside the body. The technology makes it possible for the first time to test the function of donated lungs outside the body by pumping STEEN Solution(TM) into the organ’s system of vessels at normal body temperature before possible use.

With the STEEN Solution(TM) method, the number of potential organs that can be transplanted increases considerably. In the USA, for example, less than 20 percent of the lungs donated are transplanted today, due to uncertainty about the function of the organ. In time the STEEN Solution(TM) method can lead to a fivefold to tenfold increase in the number of lung transplantations carried out, as the need for donated organs using today’s methods considerably exceeds supply.

Vitrolife is today the market leader within the area of lung preservation solutions with its product Perfadex(R) and more than 90 percent of all lung transplantations in the world are performed using this product. Together with STEEN Solution(TM), Perfadex(R) is also part of the new method for functional testing and preservation of lungs outside the body.

STEEN Solution(TM) has already been approved for sales in Europe and Australia. The patent has so far been approved in Australia and the USA.

October 21, 2008 Kungsbacka, Sweden Magnus Nilsson CEO

Vitrolife is a global biotechnology/medical device Group that works with developing, manufacturing and selling advanced products and systems for the preparation, cultivation and storage of human cells, tissue and organs. The company has business activities within three product areas: Fertility, Transplantation and Stem Cell Cultivation. The Fertility product area works with nutrient solutions (media) and advanced consumable instruments such as needles and pipettes, for the treatment of human infertility. The Transplantation product area works with solutions and systems to maintain tissue in optimal condition outside the body for the required time while waiting for transplantation. The Stem Cell Cultivation product area works with media and instruments to enable the use and handling of stem cells for therapeutic purposes.

Vitrolife today has approximately 140 employees and the company’s products are sold in more than 80 markets. The head office is in Kungsbacka, Sweden, and there are subsidiaries in Sweden, USA, Australia and Italy. The Vitrolife share is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm’s Nordic Small Cap list.

Vitrolife AB (publ), Faktorvagen 13, SE-434 37 Kungsbacka, Sweden. Corporate identity number 556354-3452.

Tel: +46 31 721 80 00. Fax: +46 31 721 80 90. E-mail: [email protected]. Homepage: www.vitrolife.com.

This is a translation of the Swedish version of the press release. When in doubt, the Swedish wording prevails.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — AMIA and AHIMA today announced the release of a report addressing issues related to work force needs in the era of the electronic health record. The report, Proposed Health Information Management and Informatics Core Competencies for Individuals Working with Electronic Health Records (EHRs), is a product of the Joint Workforce Task Force and provides a useful resource for training all health workers who use EHRs. The workforce taskforce report introduces a model for potential use across various health and allied health disciplines and can be used to guide education and training for individuals working with EHRs.

The report is comprised of information and materials geared for a diverse array of employers, academic facilities and professional societies. Building on their collaborative work, the two associations convened the joint task force to define basic competencies for those who use EHRs in their daily work. The report and the proposed competencies are available for download and public review at: http://www.amia.org/ and http://www.ahima.org/.

“As electronic health records become the norm, existing healthcare workers need to learn to use these systems effectively in their daily work. This report gives important guidance to employers and healthcare educators on basic competencies to successfully prepare healthcare workers for an increasingly electronic workplace,” said Claire Dixon-Lee, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA, Vice President, AHIMA Education and CAHIIM Accreditation.

“A seeming explosion of HIT and informatics programs recently is both good news and bad news,” says Don E. Detmer, MD, MA, AMIA President and CEO. “The good news is that a major workforce need in an area of great importance to healthcare has been ‘discovered’. The bad news is that there are too few well-educated faculty to assure that students will get genuine value if they are not selective in assessing their educational opportunities. While progress is being made, quality control today is a ‘users beware’ situation. AMIA is working hard to assure rigorous programs, that is, sound educational opportunities including certification programs across the nation. This report speaks to this issue.”

Workforce issues are major priorities for both AMIA and AHIMA. In addition to this task force, the associations are separately engaged in various other activities to help support the preparation, growth and development of a health information management and informatics workforce in an increasingly global and electronic healthcare environment.

The associations have jointly studied the growing concerns throughout the public and private sectors about workforce shortages and the need for trained workers. Recognizing the demands of this emerging environment, AMIA and AHIMA hosted a workforce summit meeting in November 2005, and in 2006 issued the report, Building the Work Force for Health Information Transformation (http://www.amia.org/inside/initiatives/workforce.asp).

The 2006 report outlines a national action agenda to address workforce challenges related to EHRs and the nationwide health information infrastructure. The report also contains targeted recommendations to healthcare employers, employees, industry representatives, government, and professional organizations for preparing the existing health workforce to use technology tools and to ensure a sufficient number of well-qualified health information specialists to achieve effective health IT transformation.

Plans for a second joint national workforce summit “A Call to Action: Furthering the Workforce Transformation” in 2009 are proceeding with additional details about that meeting forthcoming.

About AMIA

AMIA is the professional home for biomedical and health informatics. AMIA is dedicated to promoting the effective organization, analysis, management, and use of information in health care in support of patient care, public health, teaching, research, administration, and related policy. AMIA’s 4,000 members advance the use of health information and communications technology in clinical care and clinical research, personal health management, public health/population, and translational science with the ultimate objective of improving health. Complete information about AMIA is available at: http://www.amia.org/.

About AHIMA

The American Health Information Management Association is America’s leading professional society whose mission is to “improve healthcare by advancing best practices and standards for health information management and [serve as] the trusted source for education, research and professional credentialing.” AHIMA represents more than 52,000 specially educated HIM professionals who serve healthcare and the public by managing, analyzing and utilizing data vital for health system management. http://www.ahima.org/

   Media Contacts:  Tia Abner   Communications Manager   301-657-1291   [email protected]   http://www.amia.org/    Theresa Grant   Public Relations Manager   312-233-1159   [email protected]  

American Medical Informatics Association

CONTACT: Tia Abner of American Medical Informatics Association,+1-301-657-1291, [email protected], or Theresa Grant of American Health InformationManagement Association, +1-312-233-1159, [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.ahima.org/http://www.amia.org/

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ — Stuart Chesky, DO, JD, Medical Director of Ohio KePRO was one of 17 respected health care and legal experts chosen to serve on Ohio’s Joint Legislative Study Commission on Most Favored Nation Clauses in Health Care Contracts. The Commission was established as part of HB-125, the Health Care Simplification Act, passed earlier this year.

“The overall goal of the Commission is to simplify the bureaucracy of the health care system so that hospitals and physicians can concentrate on what they do best — caring for patients,” said Dr. Chesky. “I am honored to have been selected to serve on the Commission that will focus on making health care contracting more fair for everyone. I will work hard for all Ohioans so that our health care delivery system is the best in the nation.”

The Commission will study heath care contracts to investigate the precompetitive and anticompetitive aspects of favored nation clauses, which are contractual agreements between a buyer and a seller stating that the price paid by the buyer will be at least as low as the price paid by other buyers purchasing the same commodity — in this case, health care.

The Commission will also address the impact that most favored nation clauses have on health care costs and on the availability of, and accessibility to, quality health care, and the costs associated with the enforcement of most favored nation clauses.

Dr. Chesky currently serves as Medical Director, where he oversees physician review services performed on behalf of Ohio’s Medicare beneficiaries as part of the Ohio KePRO quality improvement organization (QIO) contract. He also is the medical director for the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) contract held by parent company, KePRO, to provide expert medical malpractice review and risk management services on behalf of federally qualified health centers. In addition, Dr. Chesky is the Medical Director for KePRO’s Florida Home Health contract and oversees KePRO’s peer reviewer credentialing process.

Dr. Chesky received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine; his specialty is Obstetrical and Gynecological Surgery. He is licensed to practice medicine in multiple states, including Ohio. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from the Ohio Northern University College of Law. His Bachelor of Science degree is from Roosevelt University.

About Ohio KePRO

Ohio KePRO, a KePRO company, is the Medicare quality improvement organization (QIO) for the state of Ohio. Ohio KePRO, located in Cleveland, improves the quality of care for, and the quality of life of, Ohio’s 1.8 million Medicare beneficiaries.

About KePRO

KePRO, a leading quality improvement and care management organization, offers innovative and outcomes-focused solutions to reduce the utilization of health care resources and optimize quality of care for public and commercial clients. KePRO’s comprehensive, member centric care management solutions go far beyond traditional utilization and case management by coordinating the care provided to members with acute, chronic and complex conditions across the continuum, and identifying members who are at the highest risk for future services, but have not yet had an acute event. Tailored programs maximize members’ quality of life, and realize greater cost savings for members and clients.

Headquartered in Pennsylvania, KePRO also has offices in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. KePRO is URAC health utilization management and case management accredited. For more information, visit http://www.kepro.org/.

KePRO

CONTACT: Joanne Benteler, Public Relations Director of KePRO,+1-717-265-7004, [email protected]

Web site: http://www.kepro.org/

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ — The Cure Our Children Foundation, a nonprofit charitable foundation dedicated to children, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Orphan Drug Designation of the foundation’s unique drug product for children with Ewing’s Sarcoma cancer. The efforts to develop this drug were made possible by the generous volunteers and researchers in private industry and at two universities.

Orphan Drug status allows for recognition of the potential viability of a drug therapy while providing a variety of benefits during the drug approval process. These benefits include waivers of certain FDA fees, the availability of government grants, and FDA attention and assistance during the review process.

This groundbreaking new drug combines two modern technologies: biotechnology and nanotechnology. This incredible technology is analogous to the concept of a Trojan Horse, and is expected to have very far reaching implications for other cancer treatments. The product consists of cell matter that is modified to have the same genetic code as the cancer cells, but that matter is not viable food for the tumor cells. The cell matter is then placed in a nanotechnology formulation which allows the matter to migrate through the body’s own vessels directly to the tumor cells. When the tumor cells uptake the matter, they cannot reproduce, and they die. Key elements of this drug technology are:

   -- Fewer side effects may be possible   -- The drug is directed only at the tumor cell and not at healthy cells   -- The product is so small that it migrates right through blood vessels   and cell walls   -- This technology be applied to other diseases in the future that have a   genetic component    

The President of the foundation, Barry Sugarman, a 30-year veteran executive and consultant in the pharmaceutical industry, and father of son who has survived Ewing’s Sarcoma, will continue the development of the drug product by raising money from individuals and foundations.

The Cure Our Children Foundation identifies important under-researched children’s issues and devotes extensive resources to educate and guide parents, professionals, government and the public. The foundation website at http://www.cureourchildren.org/ receives thousands of website visits every month. The results of the research are provided as a public service, and are supported by donations to the foundation. The foundation has a number of other research projects underway that will continue to benefit children and families.

   Contact:   Barry Sugarman, B.S.ENGR., President   The Cure Our Children Foundation   [email protected]   Phone: 310-355-6046   Fax: 310-454-9592   http://www.cureourchildren.org/    

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

The Cure Our Children Foundation

CONTACT: Barry Sugarman, B.S.ENGR., President of The Cure Our ChildrenFoundation, +1-310-355-6046, or Fax, +1-310-454-9592,[email protected]

Web site: http://www.cureourchildren.org/

While the chief goal at Arrowhead Radiology Medical Group is always to provide quality clinical care to patients, strong financial and operational performance also are important elements to running a successful practice. To help make its financial and operational goals a reality, the physician group has selected McKesson to manage its revenue cycle operations. McKesson’s Revenue Management Solutions group will provide an array of services designed specifically to meet the needs of the Colton, Calif., radiology practice including billing, accounts receivable management, reporting and account management services.

“We were concerned as to whether we were realizing our full financial potential as a medical group,” said Fred Orr, M.D., Radiology Chairman at Arrowhead. “We work with a difficult payor mix, so we wanted a billing service that would truly help our practice succeed at all levels. With McKesson, we’re getting a group of people with a focus just on radiology billing to help us reach our financial goals.”

Arrowhead will leverage McKesson’s extensive experience to help increase revenue through improved collections, reporting and account management. McKesson’s radiology revenue management service is supported by employees focused on the radiology specialty. In addition, the radiology billing service taps the expertise of coders who specialize in interventional radiology, making it possible for Arrowhead to increase revenues related to interventional procedures such as catheter angiography and catheter embolization. McKesson will partner with Arrowhead to ensure that billing will be appropriately documented and submitted in a timely manner. “We have been providing patients with top-notch radiology services all along,” said Orr. “But as physicians we appreciate our partnership with McKesson to help us document appropriately for reimbursement.”

“Physicians are working in an era when they see their financial rewards declining, so they are naturally frustrated with the business aspects of medicine,” said Pat Leonard, vice president and general manager, Revenue Management Solutions, McKesson Provider Technologies. “McKesson is able to help them achieve the ideal revenue cycle management processes, resulting in optimal income for doctors. As a result, physicians can put all of their energies into providing the best clinical care possible to patients.”

About Arrowhead Radiology Medical Group

Arrowhead Radiology Medical Group, Inc., established in 1976, is a nine-physician radiologist group based at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, CA. In addition to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, they provide full gamut radiologist services to Mountains Community Hospital in Lake Arrowhead, San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in Banning, Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino, as well as Teleradiology CT/MRI services for Riverside Medical Group in Riverside. McKesson PACS is utilized at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital facilities. Group Members include four Interventional Fellowship Radiologists, two Musculoskeletal Fellowships, one Trauma Fellowship Radiologist, and several Diagnostic Radiologists to provide essentially all diagnostic and interventional modalities for the above facilities in the Inland Empire area of Southern California.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and healthcare information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, marking its 175th anniversary this year. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. McKesson is a leader in revenue management solutions, helping physicians optimize reimbursement, minimize risk and increase revenue in order to keep more of what they earn. For more information, visit www.mckesson.com/radiologyservices.

Aetna (NYSE:AET) and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) today announced that Aetna is the first health benefits company in the U.S. to link its online provider directory — DocFind(R) — to GLMA’s growing online database of more than 1,200 health care providers. The database includes primary care providers, specialists, therapists, and dentists who welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) patients.

In addition, Aetna has awarded GLMA a $50,000 grant as the diamond sponsor of GLMA’s 26th Annual Conference scheduled for October 22-25 in Seattle. The conference is remarkable for its size, scope, and diversity of programming, with presentations and workshops on HIV/AIDS; lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual health; substance abuse; aging; families and relationships; and legal issues.

“We hope to see other insurance companies follow Aetna’s lead by linking to our database,” said Joel Ginsberg, GLMA’s executive director. “This is a valuable tool that allows LGBT individuals to find LGBT-friendly health care providers whom they can trust.”

“All patients must feel comfortable speaking candidly with their health care providers so that the care delivered is appropriate and effective, and patients can take greater control of their health and well-being,” said Troyen Brennan, M.D., Aetna’s chief medical officer. “Aetna and the GLMA share a similar goal of eliminating disparities in health care, including unequal health care access and outcomes that critically challenge the American health care system today.”

“Providing easy access to the GLMA database through a link in DocFind gives gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members one more way to locate physicians who understand their specific medical needs,” Brennan said.

Openness between patients and their health care providers can be an issue for the LGBT community and can impact their quality of care. A study released in July by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene showed that men who disclose having sex with men to their physicians were twice as likely as those who did not to have been tested for HIV (63 percent vs. 36 percent). The study also revealed in a survey of 452 New York City men who have sex with other men that 39 percent had not disclosed their sexual orientation to their doctors.

Any provider who is willing to affirm their commitment to providing a welcoming environment for LGBT patients and clients is invited to join the GLMA Provider Directory. GLMA also has resources available for providers on how to meet the unique health care needs of LGBT individuals, which includes creating an environment where patients can feel comfortable talking openly.

“We recognize and applaud health care providers who have joined our directory. Their interest in LGBT health issues and their commitment to creating a welcoming environment for LGBT patients is commendable and is truly needed by the LGBT community,” Ginsberg said.

The listings in the GLMA directory may not always include the names of health plans in which the providers participate, so users should verify whether providers listed in the GLMA database participate in their specific benefit plans. Aetna members can check physician participation through DocFind.

Also, Aetna will alert its participating health care providers of the link between the DocFind tool and GLMA’s database to raise additional awareness of GLMA among providers.

Aetna has earned the top rating of 100 percent in the 2009 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. This is the seventh consecutive year that Aetna has received a perfect score for its service to LGBT employees and consumers.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.2 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. www.aetna.com

About GLMA

The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association has been working since 1981 to ensure equality in healthcare for GLBT patients and healthcare providers, through advocacy education, research and patient referrals. www.glma.org

WASHINGTON, BATTLE CREEK, Mich., and EVANSTON, Ill., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ — The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the Center of Excellence for Simulation Research (CESR) of Western Michigan University announced the launch of an educational and research partnership, using in situ simulation to improve the time from hospital presentation with an acute myocardial infarction (MI) to balloon angioplasty (D2B). Mentice Inc. was selected as the exclusive technology vendor, utilizing its Vascular Intervention Simulation Trainer (VIST(TM)) and newly launched MenticeSIM(TM) platform for enhanced videocapture, skills evaluation and post-experience assessment.

The ACC is the nation’s leader in promoting evidence-based care for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including its educational programs sponsored by the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and its quality improvement efforts such as reducing door-to-balloon times through the D2B Alliance. W. Douglas Weaver, M.D., F.A.C.C., ACC President, asserted that, “I am proud that the ACC is collaborating with leaders in simulation technology to advance patient care. In situ simulation has improved safety in commercial aviation and it also will bring many benefits to acute MI care, where a team of healthcare providers must quickly and expertly respond to emergency situations where every minute counts.”

“This initiative is a perfect example of using a quality improvement model as the framework for continuing education learning activities,” said Elizabeth Yarboro, Senior Director of Education Strategy and Accreditation at ACC. Joseph Green, Ph.D., Chief Learning Officer, added, “Activities such as this, which are learner-centered, assess outcomes, and include measurement of discrete behavior change, will lead to quantifiable assessment of changes in competence for healthcare professionals.”

William Hamman, M.D., Ph.D., cardiologist, pilot and former manager of human factors and risk assessment for United Airlines, has been a leader in adapting in situ simulation technology to healthcare models. Dr. Hamman, Director of CESR, said, “Communication among team members is a critical element to shoring up safety and improving performance. In situ simulation offers a unique opportunity for clinical and interventional cardiologists, emergency department physicians, nurses, technicians, and paramedics to identify and rectify communication and system barriers to optimal acute MI care.”

“We are excited to have been selected by the ACCF/CESR partnership as the provider of endovascular simulation technology for this important project,” said Tim Shannon, VP of Sales and Marketing, Mentice Inc. “Team communication, when compromised, contributes to medical errors, increased costs and additional time, which translates into lost lives and poor patient outcomes.” The Mentice technology enhances the in situ experience by capturing valuable data for the researchers to evaluate during the post-simulation assessment of how each team’s communication skills impacted the treatment outcome. According to Shannon, ” … the medical community will applaud the efforts of the ACCF/CESR partnership in its drive to improve patient outcomes as evidenced by this endeavor.”

About the American College of Cardiology

The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The ACC is a 37,000-member nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care. For more information, visit http://www.acc.org/.

About CESR

The Center of Excellence for Simulation Research (CESR) is a multimillion- dollar simulation research center supported by grants from the state of Michigan’s Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and pier reviewed by the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Through the use of strategically designed scenarios and advanced simulation devices, (CESR) of Western Michigan University replicates real-world situations to evaluate systems, processes and team behaviors in health care organizations. Key features are the design of the simulation model, in situ simulation, and the use of video debriefing. The system uses reality-inspired scenarios of complex patient situations that require effective team coordination to achieve safe patient care (Hamman et al., 2007). While other organizations can merely observe situations that happen to occur in the health care institution, CESR can trigger situations that will force health care teams and the corresponding health care systems to function in emergent and critical scenarios without the stress of being a real patient. Website: http://psoone.org/

About Mentice Inc.

Mentice is a leader in medical simulation with approximately 600 installations worldwide, 100+ validation studies and more than 30 issued and pending patents. Mentice’s Family of Simulators focuses on the area of minimally invasive endovascular procedures, core skills training and assessment. Website: http://www.mentice.com/

    Contacts:     American College of Cardiology    Laura Lee Hall, Ph.D.    202-375-6420    [email protected]     CESR    William Hamman, M.D., Ph.D.    269-964-7850    [email protected]     Mentice Inc.    Tim Shannon    1-877-MENTICE    [email protected]  

Mentice Inc.

CONTACT: Laura Lee Hall, Ph.D., of American College of Cardiology,+1-202-375-6420, [email protected]; or William Hamman, M.D., Ph.D., of CESR,+1-269-964-7850, [email protected]; or Tim Shannon of Mentice Inc.,1-877-MENTICE, [email protected]

Web site: http://www.mentice.com/http://www.acc.org/http://psoone.org/

Talyst, a leader in pharmacy automation systems, today announced the availability of its InSite(TM) for Corrections system, the first pharmacy automation solution designed for use in correctional facilities.

The company made the announcement at the National Conference on Correctional Health Care, underway this week at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago.

The first installation of the InSite for Corrections system is operating in San Bernardino County, Calif., and will deliver an estimated 3.6 million oral medication doses per year. The system enables all prescriptions for nearly 6,000 inmates in custody to be prescribed, approved, dispensed and documented in a fraction of the time previously required, and with a higher level of quality assurance.

A comprehensive solution

InSite for Corrections brings efficiency and greater control to medication storage, access and delivery processes in correctional facilities. Its components and capabilities include:

— Accurate order entry — InSite Provider Order Entry is designed to dramatically reduce transcription errors that lead to patient-safety risks.

— Integrated patient information — InSite Pharmacy Information System automates the pharmacy operations to maximize efficiency and ensure patient safety.

— Automated dispensing — The InSite Remote Dispensing System provides on-site, on-demand automation for preparing patient-specific oral medication doses.

— Secure medication storage and delivery — InSite Secure Medication Cabinets automate the preparation of non-oral medications, such as ointments, drops and creams.

“This system addresses the concerns of corrections healthcare managers, by leveraging our market leadership and lessons learned in hundreds of hospital installations,” explains Carla Corkern, chief executive officer, Talyst. “In fact, InSite for Corrections extends our service to hospitals, because many of them provide pharmacy services to jails.

“Our remote-dispensing approach brings efficiency, patient safety and cost control,” she notes, “by linking medication administration to jail and health care databases.”

“This is also relevant to the nationwide nursing shortage,” Corkern says. “At a point when it is so difficult to hire nurses, particularly those with corrections experience, InSite can stretch resources and make the day-to-day nursing job in corrections more patient-centric and appealing.”

About Talyst

Talyst enables the intelligent pharmacy. The company provides automated systems to hospitals, long-term care and correctional systems, to improve accuracy and patient safety, while reducing costs and increasing productivity. Talyst equipment and software are used to package, barcode, store and track medication inventories. The company has more than 300 hospital and integrated healthcare system customers.

For more information, see www.talyst.com or call 877-4-Talyst (877-482-5978).

For the last two years, Talyst has ranked in the “Inc. 500” national list of fastest-growing private companies. Last month, the company was ranked number two on the Deloitte “Fast 50” Technology Companies in Washington state. Talyst was also honored by Fast Company magazine’s “Fast 50 Reader Favorites” list, honoring innovative, progressive enterprises.

Talyst, InSite and Engineering the Intelligent Pharmacy are trademarks of Talyst Inc. Other trade names are the property of their respective owners.

MORRISVILLE, Pa., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ — The International Conference on Pain and Chemical Dependency honors a uniquely qualified individual with the Marie E. Nyswander Award, which is given in recognition of lifetime accomplishments in advancing compassionate and humane treatment of patients suffering from pain. This year’s award will be presented to M.R. Rajagopal, MD.

Dr. M.R. Rajagopal is Professor of Pain and Palliative Medicine at SUT Academy of Medical Sciences, Trivandrum and the founder-chairman of “Pallium India,” a trust working to improve access to palliative care in India. He is one of the founders of Pain and Palliative Care Society in Calicut, India, which became a WHO demonstration project and grew to the present Institute of Palliative Medicine, with a network of over 100 palliative care centers in the state of Kerala, as well as several outside the state.

Dr. Rajagopal initiated the first university approved postgraduate diploma program in the country on pain and palliative medicine. As a result of his training programs, his state permits a large number of physicians to prescribe opioids for pain, and this has dramatically increased access to effective palliative care for patients. On a national level, he has worked tirelessly with the Pain and Policy Studies Group in Madison, Wisconsin to remove regulatory barriers to opioid prescribing, resulting in simplification of regulations in 13 of India’s 28 states.

Dr. Rajagopal is on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC), the International Association of Pain & Chemical Dependency (IAPCD), and the Asia Pacific Hospice Network (APHN). He chairs the Opioid Availability Committee of Indian Association of Palliative Care. Dr. Rajagopal is on the editorial board of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy, and the Indian Journal of Palliative Care. He has authored/edited two textbooks, several book chapters and more than 30 publications in scientific journals.

Dr. Rajagopal will address conference attendees on October 30th at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia in the ICPCD’s opening plenary session. His lecture will describe the challenges faced and met by the palliative care community in India in delivering quality care and providing practical approaches to training and education.

International Association for Pain and Chemical Dependency

CONTACT: Kathleen S. Strauser, Vice President Strategic Development andMarketing of MediCom Education Group, Inc. for International Association forPain and Chemical Dependency, +1-215-428-2645, ext. 159,[email protected]

Web Site: http://www.iapcd.org/

Confectionery company Mars has announced that it will voluntarily implement guideline daily amount nutrition labeling on all of its chocolate, non-chocolate confectionery and other food products.

According to the company, all packages will be redesigned to feature new graphics on the front and back of packages, which contain nutrition information that will help consumers make informed choices at the point of purchase. This announcement is part of a global initiative undertaken by Mars.

The new label, referred to as “What’s Inside,” is designed to help consumers locate key nutrition information. The new labels will begin appearing in December. They will be on Mars US chocolate, non-chocolate confectionery and other food products by the end of 2010.

The “What’s Inside” label adopts the guideline daily amount (GDA) graphics that have initially appeared in Europe. GDAs feature the calorie totals in large type on the front of the products and highlight more detailed information on the back of the product, including calories, fat, sugar and sodium.

Bob Gamgort, president of Mars North America, said: “Our redesigned labels are the latest examples of Mars’ commitment to health and nutrition. By providing clear, concise and understandable information to consumers about what’s inside all of our products, we will help them to make informed decisions about the foods they eat. We make every effort to go beyond what is expected of a global food company.”

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Alsius Corporation , the worldwide leader in intravascular temperature management (IVTM(TM)) therapies, today announced that four scientific posters featuring both patient cases and laboratory research in which the Thermogard XP(TM) was utilized will be presented this week at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Annual Meeting, taking place in Orlando.

Dr. Arie Blitz, Director of Heart Transplantation and Assist Device Surgery at University Hospitals of Cleveland Case Medical Center, and President of the Cleveland chapter of the American Heart Association, will present the following posters highlighting the use of the Thermogard XP in challenging cardiac surgery cases:

— Use of a Novel Percutaneous Warming Catheter as a Protection Against Perioperative Hypothermia

— Perioperative Therapeutic Hypothermia for Intraoperative Cardiac Arrest During Cardiac Surgery

— Use of a Warming Catheter To Treat Perioperative Hypothermia in a Patient Undergoing Salvage Off-Pump RVAD Insertion

— Reversal of Stroke by the Early Institution of Therapeutic Hypothermia after Cardiac Surgery

“Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are at risk for developing a variety of perioperative complications, including hypothermia and stroke,” commented Dr. Blitz, senior author of the case studies to be featured at ASA. “Precise control of body temperature plays an important role in treating patients who are at risk for these complications.

“Patients who experience inadvertent hypothermia during surgery are at increased risk for bleeding and other adverse events, and therefore may benefit by being kept warm during the course of the operation,” continued Dr. Blitz. “On the other hand, patients who experience a stroke or other neurological injury during surgery might actually benefit by being cooled down for a period of time after the surgery. Therefore, modulating temperature becomes a very important tool in the physician’s armamentarium. The cases being presented at the ASA underscore the utility of temperature management for these situations.”

Various factors contribute to hypothermia during surgery, including the type of surgical procedure, the type of anesthesia, the temperature of the operating room and the infusion of blood or other cold fluids. A patient’s temperature can drop as much as 1 – 3 degrees F during the first 30 minutes after anesthesia is administered, and sometimes more body heat can be lost during the surgery, which can lead to serious complications including wound infections, blood loss, cardiac arrhythmias and heart damage.

Most methods of patient re-warming are imprecise, fail to warm the patient quickly enough or are not practical due to the type of surgery. The Alsius IVTM system is ideal for these circumstances since it does not interfere with the operating field and will precisely and efficiently regulate the patient’s temperature.

Alsius IVTM(TM)

Alsius IVTM technology provides cooling and warming therapy via a computer-controlled temperature regulation system that connects to Alsius’ proprietary heat exchange catheters. The catheters are inserted into a patient’s subclavian, jugular or femoral vein, and circulate cool or warm saline through balloons that surround the catheter. This approach decreases or increases core temperature from the inside of the body out toward the exterior, allowing for significantly more rapid control of a patient’s core body temperature, with greater efficiency and precision, compared to conventional external temperature management products such as cooling and warming blankets and ice packs.

Alsius’ IVTM products include the CoolGard 3000(R), Thermogard(TM) and Thermogard XP(TM) systems, as well as a family of single-use catheters, including the Cool Line(R), Icy(TM), Quattro(TM), Solex(TM) and Fortius(R) catheters.

About Alsius

Alsius, headquartered in Irvine, CA, is a commercial-stage medical device company that develops, manufactures and sells proprietary products to precisely control patient temperature in hospital critical care settings. Controlling body temperature, through cooling and warming, is becoming the standard of care for patients in select critical conditions and those undergoing a variety of surgical procedures. Alsius markets a comprehensive suite of catheter-based intravascular temperature management products that address the need for effective, accurate, easy-to-use and cost-effective control of body temperature in critical care patients. For more information, visit http://www.alsius.com/.

Safe Harbor

This press release may contain statements regarding plans and expectations for the future that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking. Such forward looking statements, based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Alsius’ management, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The information set forth herein should be read in light of such risks. Additional information concerning such risks and uncertainties are contained in Alsius’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which can be accessed electronically on the Securities and Exchange Commission website at http://www.sec.gov/.

Alsius Corporation

CONTACT: Suzanne Winter of Alsius Corporation, +1-949-453-0150, ext.105, [email protected]; or Julio Cantre of WeissComm Partners,+1-415-946-1055, [email protected], for Alsius Corporation

Web site: http://www.alsius.com/

NaviMedix, the national leader in real-time healthcare communications, has acquired TopLine Solutions Inc., the market leader in healthcare payment and collection solutions, and has partnered with ClearCycle, Ingenix and Moneris, the industry’s premier financial information and services providers, to deliver the industry’s first “all payer-all patient” payment solutions for healthcare providers. NaviMedix, a trusted business partner to over 625,000 physicians and clinicians subscribed to its flagship NaviNet(R) platform, will introduce a suite of low-cost revenue cycle management solutions that will assist physician practices and other provider organizations in managing the challenges posed by increased patient financial responsibility for healthcare services.

Due to the evolution of consumer-directed health plans (CDHP) and other market factors, patients’ payment responsibility has grown substantially, and most providers are only now fully realizing the impact this payment shift has on their finances. Collecting payment from the patient can be expensive, difficult, protracted and sometimes unsuccessful. This problem, already significant today, will only get worse as CDHP adoption increases. NaviMedix, whose NaviNet platform enables healthcare providers to perform real-time financial, clinical and administrative communications with multiple payers and healthcare companies, is the first in the industry to meet the critical need for an effective and pragmatic solution to address healthcare payment and collection.

NaviMedix has acquired Topline Solutions and partnered with ClearCycle, Ingenix and Moneris to offer a set of “all-payer, all-patient” solutions that will enable providers to cost-effectively manage the business challenges of determining, managing and collecting full payment from all their patients and all health plans with which they do business. The NaviMedix offering will:

— Enable providers to easily determine, capture, process and reconcile patient responsibility for service.

— Support auto reconciliation of all patient and payer payments via NaviNet’s direct connections with health plans’ claims transaction systems.

— Enable providers to realize the benefits of practical “real-time” claims adjudication.

As a partner to both providers and payers in providing claims-related transactions, NaviMedix is uniquely positioned to offer practical estimation, collection and reconciliation tools for physicians struggling to cope with the growing amount of patient self-payments. The company’s new revenue cycle management solution suite will enhance the NaviNet platform and complement the broad set of over 400 NaviNet transactions offered today, fitting easily into existing physician office workflows and requiring little to no training while improving the office balance sheet and patient service.

“This NaviMedix revenue cycle management solution suite is a critical piece of the equation to enable real-time adjudication in today’s complex healthcare payment infrastructure,” said Tim Hargarten, chief executive officer of NaviMedix. “It will accurately estimate patient financial responsibly and will easily reconcile payments from all sources. Only NaviMedix is in the position to offer providers those capabilities all in one solution – we have trusted relationships with providers and payers nationwide, and no one knows more about payer systems, the healthcare payment infrastructure, and delivering patient-related information and transactions into the provider office.”

In addition to further enhancing the value of the NaviNet platform for NaviMedix health plan customers, the solution suite will improve plans’ provider relations, boost call center efficiencies and support efforts to promote consumer-directed health plans. The combination of the NaviNet platform and NaviMedix’s national network of over 625,000 providers is a built-in channel for the company to efficiently distribute its new “all-payer, all patient” solutions and services to the provider community. The NaviMedix revenue cycle management suite will be available in 2009.

Providers interested in joining the NaviNet Network may visit www.aboutnavinet.com

About NaviMedix

NaviMedix is the national leader in real-time healthcare communications, with a network of over 625,000 enrolled providers in all 50 states using its solutions and services. NaviNet(R), the company’s sophisticated Web-based communications solution, allows providers to interact with the country’s leading health plans, including four of the six largest payers, and other sponsoring healthcare service organizations. NaviNet enables sponsors to reach a national network of providers who tap into the solution frequently for medical and business interactions. NaviMedix solutions deliver relevant information from multiple sources into the provider office to support financial, clinical and administrative decision-making and drive more effective physician engagement. For more information, please visit www.navimedix.com or call us at 617-715-6000 or 800-805-7569.

DALLAS, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Managing your heart health just got easier — online.

With the American Heart Association’s innovative new cardiovascular wellness center — http://www.heart360.org/ — you can now enter your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose numbers, log physical activities, record your weight, and keep a diary of the medications you’re taking or used to take.

The entries are stored online in a secure, password-protected system to be charted, compared and updated — to help you set goals and track your progress in reducing heart disease risk factors.

A variety of links to relevant American Heart Association content are also available on the site.

“Statistics show millions of people are turning to the Internet for health information,” said Dr. Tim Gardner, president of the American Heart Association and medical director of the Center for Heart and Vascular Health at the Christiana Care Health System in Delaware. “With Heart360, patients and their families can easily track their risk factors and get quick access to the most credible source of online heart and stroke information.”

Powered by Microsoft HealthVault, Heart360 replaces and expands on the American Heart Association’s former Blood Pressure Management Center. The new site offers the ability to track a broader range of heart disease risk factors, while providing more guidance and information.

In 2007, Microsoft launched HealthVault, a personal health platform that allows consumers to gather, store and share health information online. HealthVault enables the exchange of data among different health applications, such as the American Heart Association’s Heart360.

“The American Heart Association has long been a trusted source for heart health information, and Heart360 makes it even easier for consumers to track and view their health information online,” said Dr. Jim Mault, director of business development, Microsoft Health Solutions Group. “By combining data from Heart360 with information from other HealthVault data sources and applications, consumers have a better snapshot of their overall health profile.”

New users can visit http://www.heart360.org/ to set up a Microsoft HealthVault account. Previous users of the American Heart Association’s Blood Pressure Management Center can log in normally and their data will automatically transfer to Heart360.

   Unique features of the site include:   --  Goals: The user can set personal goals for readings, such as blood       pressure or weight.    --  Guidance: The tool will direct users to the recommended ranges for       blood pressure, cholesterol and other types of data. In some cases, a       user will receive links and additional information to share with their       doctor.    --  Multiple user accounts: Users can manage their families' health with       several user accounts. This is ideal for parents and/or caregivers.    --  Connect your devices: Heart360 is compatible with some home blood       pressure monitors. Look for the "Works with HealthVault" logo. Using       Microsoft HealthVault, users can upload their readings and incorporate       them into their Heart360 account. Information can also be entered       manually.    --  Notices: A user will receive a message when their health inputs are in       a range that signals they should consult with their doctor.    --  Progress reports: Users can easily prepare reports on their data.       These reports can be printed and e-mailed.    --  Resources: As information is entered over time, a user will receive       timely links to useful information tailored to meet their individual       needs.   

“In the future Heart360 will expand so healthcare providers can access a patient’s information and communicate with patients about their progress,” Gardner said.

About the AHA

Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart diseases and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases, claim nearly 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2006-07 the association invested more than $554 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit http://www.americanheart.org/.

American Heart Association

CONTACT: Cindy Lewis of AHA, +1-214-706-1433, [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.americanheart.org/https://www.heart360.org/

DALLAS, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ — The Beryl Institute, an organization dedicated to improving customer service in healthcare, is actively seeking content from healthcare professionals. Content must demonstrate the economic impact of the relationship between customer service initiatives and profitability. Complete submission guidelines are available at http://www.theberylinstitute.com/.

“Healthcare professionals from across the country count on The Beryl Institute to provide valuable insight into how they can create relationships for life with their consumers,” said Paul Spiegelman, executive director for The Beryl Institute. “I know that there are countless great stories out there that would benefit many, which is why we are requesting content from the entire industry.”

Content should address a problem, challenge and solution of a customer service initiative on a healthcare organization. This may include case studies, examples, white papers, benchmarks, properly sourced and vetted research, and actionable tips and tactics. Materials and programs produced by The Beryl Institute receive national exposure among healthcare leaders across the country.

Past white papers and webinars from The Beryl Institute include “Ready or Not, Customer Service is Coming to Healthcare”; “It’s Not Just a Call, It’s a Customer”; “High-Performing Organizations: Culture as a Bottom-Line Issue”; “Moments of Truth: Hospital Switchboards as a Bottom-Line Issue”; “Mystery Shopping the Patient Experience”; and “Balancing Consumer and Physician Influence: Finding the ‘Sweet Spot’ in Healthcare Marketing.”

Founded in 2006, The Beryl Institute is the research and educational arm of The Beryl Companies, the leading provider of outsourced call center services in healthcare. The mission of The Beryl Institute is to improve customer service in healthcare.

The Beryl Institute

CONTACT: Carol Stevenson, +1-818-597-8453, x-3, for The Beryl Institute

Web site: http://www.theberylinstitute.com/

Take Care Health Systems, the largest manager of convenient care clinics and worksite-based health and wellness centers and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG), announced today that CEO and president Peter Miller, and Employer Solutions president Peter Hotz, have been promoted within Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Miller and Hotz both now hold the additional title of divisional vice president.

The Walgreens Health and Wellness division was formed in May 2008, a strategic step for Walgreens to expand health care access beyond traditional retail pharmacy. Take Care Health Systems is the main entity within the division, a compilation of two core business: Consumer Solutions, Take Care Clinics located at Walgreens drugstores throughout the country, and Employer Solutions, the largest, most comprehensive provider of workplace health, pharmacy, fitness and wellness services.

Both Miller and Hotz will continue their leadership over the Take Care Health Systems business, while using their new role to encourage synergies with the Walgreens enterprise, helping to leverage the core assets within the division and provide innovative solutions for employers and patients.

“Take Care Health Systems is an essential component to Walgreens broader strategy of connecting more closely with our customers and offering patient-first health care solutions,” said Greg Wasson, Walgreens president and chief operating officer. “Our Health and Wellness division is committed to providing quality, convenient and affordable health care to employers and patients, and we are thrilled to have the experience and leadership of Peter Miller and Peter Hotz to help us achieve our vision.”

Miller co-founded Take Care Health Systems in 2004 and has since served as the company’s president and CEO. Miller possesses a passion for patient care and the relationships he has built among his Take Care colleagues. In his words, they’re the “special sauce” that make Take Care Clinics unique. Miller earned an economics degree from Trinity College and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University.

Hotz joined Take Care Health this year when Walgreens acquired I-trax/CHD Meridian Healthcare, where he was senior vice president and chief operating officer. Hotz is president of Take Care’s Employer Solutions Group. Hotz possesses an extensive background in health care that includes building and selling his own health coaching company. He earned an economics degree from Ursinus College and an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland.

“Both Peter and Peter are committed to addressing the national health care crisis in America,” said Hal Rosenbluth, co-founder and chairman of Take Care Health Systems and president of Walgreens Health and Wellness division. “Peter Miller has led Take Care Clinic’s expansion to establish a national network of high-quality access points to care, and Peter Hotz has a keen understanding of how to help large employers save health care dollars and provide real benefits for employees, dependents and retirees.

“Take Care Health Systems is proud that Peter and Peter have been recognized for their exceptional accomplishments, as well as the level of success that Take Care Health has achieved under their leadership. With over 600 consumer and work-site clinics in operation, and additional growth plans through our alignment with Walgreens, we are extending our vision to provide personalized health care solutions to as many individuals as possible.”

About Take Care Health Systems(SM)

Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealth.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens, is part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, which includes Take Care Consumer Solutions, managers of convenient care clinics located at select Walgreens drugstores nationwide, and Take Care Employer Solutions, managers of worksite-based health and wellness services. The company combines best practices in health care and the expertise and personal care of providers to deliver access to high-quality, affordable and convenient health care to all individuals. The Take Care Consumer Solutions group currently manages 262 clinics in 33 markets and 15 states. Patient care at each of the Take Care Clinics is provided by Take Care Health Services, an independently owned state professional corporation established in each market. Take Care Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness and occupational health centers at 364 employer campuses across 183 clients in 44 states, including the District of Columbia and Guam.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,479 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and cost-effective health care services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, which is comprised of: Take Care Consumer Solutions, managers of 262 convenient care clinics at Walgreens drugstores, and Take Care Employer Solutions, managers of worksite-based health and wellness services at 364 employer campuses.

Cardiac Science launched Quinton(R) Q-Tel(R) RMS 3.1, a new and simpler electronic reporting system which allows caregivers to focus more time on patients. The primary benefit is a marked reduction in paperwork common to cardiac rehabilitation programs. Q-Tel also makes data transfer to hospital information systems (HIS) and electronic medical record (EMR) systems easy. Cardiac Science Corporation (NASDAQ:CSCX) is a global leader in advanced cardiac diagnosis, resuscitation, rehabilitation, and informatics products.

“We want our products to expedite patient recovery and simplify the administration of cardiac rehabilitation programs,” said Rene Mitchell, Cardiac Science director of diagnostic marketing. “With dozens of cardiac rehab managers’ input, we designed four new reports to streamline reporting and create more time for patient care. The reports also support American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) certification.”

The Q-Exchange option enables seamless data transfer between Q-Tel and HIS/EMR, further reducing clerical time. Q-Exchange works with XML or HL7 technologies. Additionally, Q-Tel 3.1 includes the following reports:

— Patient Care Plan – Shows an individualized patient plan of care covering the exercise, nutrition, education, and psychosocial factors required by the AACVPR Program Certification Application, all in one place.

— Patient Intake Assessment – Documents the assessment of every patient in the clinical, behavioral, health, and services domains, and captures information for all four domains on one form.

— Patient Query Report – Can perform custom queries of the patient database to help identify attendance counts, referring physicians, or patients who match other specific criteria. A simple point-and-click interface reveals the answers to these and countless other queries.

— Customized Patient Outcomes Graphs – Creates individualized graphs of the outcomes parameters needed for each patient. The most relevant parameters are charted – and can be altered in real-time – to show the most relevant information for each patient.

Q-Tel is highly configurable for additional dedicated workstations or for extra monitoring stations as class sizes increase. The Pocket Assistant allows the rehabilitation team to input session parameters from anywhere on the floor. This allows more personal interaction with patients.

Available for download: Quinton Q-Tel RMS, an eight-page brochure about the new system and how it can free up time and enable better patient care.

About Cardiac Science

Cardiac Science develops, manufactures, and markets a family of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic cardiology devices and systems, including automated external defibrillators (AEDs), electrocardiograph devices (ECGs), cardiac stress systems and treadmills, Holter monitoring systems, hospital defibrillators, cardiac rehabilitation telemetry systems, and cardiology data management systems (informatics) that connect with hospital information (HIS), electronic medical record (EMR), and other information systems. The Company sells a variety of related products and consumables, and provides a portfolio of training, maintenance, and support services. Cardiac Science, the successor to the cardiac businesses that established the trusted Burdick(R), HeartCentrix(R), Powerheart(R), and Quinton(R) brands, is headquartered in Bothell, Washington. With customers in more than 100 countries worldwide, the company has operations in North America, Europe, and Asia. For information, call 425.402.2000 or visit www.cardiacscience.com.

LOGO: http://www.cardiacscience.com/images/main_logo.gif

CSCX-G

BankPlus announced today that the bank’s WellnessPlus program has received an international leadership award for Value-Based Health from the Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM) for its innovative Value-Based Health initiatives. These initiatives include health and wellness programming integrated with health benefit design for the purpose of rewarding employees who take charge of their health with insurance premium discounts.

IHPM presented the award to WellnessPlus through its Value-Based Health (VBH) Initiative; the mission of VBH is to define and promote value, instead of cost, as the basis for health management and benefit plan design.

BankPlus also received the IHPM Corporate award in 2004. The other 2008 winners of the same award were The University of Michigan, State of Washington, Pfizer, and John Deere.

“BankPlus joins the distinguished ranks of last year’s winners – Intel, Procter & Gamble, Marriott, Cerner- as a leader at the expanding value-based movement that is transforming health benefits and programs from costs into investments in their human capital,” says Sean Sullivan, President of IHPM.

IHPM is a global non-profit enterprise dedicated to establishing the full value of employee health and maximizing its impact on business performance. BankPlus received the award at IHPM’s Eighth Annual International Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Director of WellnessPlus, Elynn Fish, accepted the award on behalf of BankPlus.

Now in its second year, the Value-Based Health Benefits awards acknowledge and reward employers that have moved beyond the conceptual phase and demonstrated leadership and innovation through the implementation of value-based health strategies, including value-based health benefit design, for their employees.

“We are honored to receive this award from IHPM in recognition of our work in Value-Based Health,” said Elynn Fish, Director of WellnessPlus. “In respect of our employees being our most important and most valuable asset, we strive to create a healthy culture that encourages a healthy, happy and high-performing quality of life for each employee at home, at work, and in their community.”

About IHPM

The Institute for Health and Productivity Management (IHPM) is a global enterprise created in 1997 to establish the full value of employee health and maximize its impact on business performance. It does this by helping employers to identify the total cost impact of employee illness on business performance; choose the best opportunities to reduce this cost impact and improve performance; and measure the success of their efforts. www.ihpm.org

About WellnessPlus

WellnessPlus is a wellness program for the employees of BankPlus. WellnessPlus seeks to improve the lives of BankPlus employees by promoting physical activity, healthy eating, disease prevention, and other healthy habits. This program presents an opportunity to impact the personal health of Mississippians, ultimately leading to a better Mississippi. The mission and purpose of WellnessPlus is to promote healthy lifestyles and encourage personal health management by providing comprehensive education, skill sets and tools to equip realistic implementation of healthy habits on a daily basis. With this purpose met, BankPlus employees and families will enjoy an improved quality of life.

About BankPlus

BankPlus, with total assets of more than $2 billion, has 62 offices in 34 Mississippi communities. In addition to its Belzoni Main Office, other BankPlus offices are located in Bentonia, Brandon, Byram, Canton, Clinton, D’Iberville, Durant, Flora, Flowood, Gluckstadt, Hernando, Holly Bluff, Horn Lake, Isola, Jackson, Lexington, Madison, Meridian, Newton, Ocean Springs, Olive Branch, Pearl, Picayune, Pickens, Poplarville, Quitman, Ridgeland, Shubuta, Southaven, Stonewall, Tchula, Waynesboro and Yazoo City. For additional information on BankPlus, please visit www.BankPlus.net.

HOUSTON, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Innovent Oncology today announced that US Oncology-affiliated practice Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC) has signed an agreement with the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) to provide Patient Support Services to PERA’s retired members undergoing cancer treatment at RMCC. The agreement represents the first occasion of services being offered through Innovent Oncology, which will work with RMCC to support PERA’s members.

Innovent Oncology, US Oncology’s newest services division, offers payers and oncologists solutions that integrate evidence-based treatment Pathways, patient support services and advance care planning to improve clinical outcomes while addressing costs.

“We’re delighted our retirees now have access to these vital patient support services giving them added comfort and encouragement through a very difficult time,” said Wendy Tenzyk, Insurance Director for Colorado PERA. “We also expect this program will help us manage overall cancer treatment costs for both our retirees and our plan.”

PERA has more than 80,000 retirees statewide. PERA operates a self-insured health plan administered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado that covers 36,000 of those retirees and their dependents, and PERA’s agreement with RMCC covers those Anthem members. On average, nearly 1,000 of PERA’s Anthem members receive cancer treatment each year. Physicians affiliated with Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers treat approximately half of those patients, and provide care for 40-50% of all cancer patients in Colorado.

“We are very pleased to be working with PERA to support its retired members and their families through our unique approach to improving the patient experience throughout their entire cancer treatment,” said Kirby Ryan, national sales director for Innovent Oncology.

Innovent Oncology bundles core services and offers them to health plans on a per participant basis. By integrating these services, patients benefit from added support services throughout their treatment; physicians gain access to evidence-based treatment Pathways; and payers benefit from the valuable insight available through enhanced data capture and analysis, outcomes measurement and utilization review. This integrated approach improves the patient’s experience and outcomes, increases efficiency and provides for better resource utilization and cost management. Innovent Oncology was launched nationally last month.

About US Oncology

US Oncology, headquartered in Houston, works closely with physicians, manufacturers and payers to identify and deliver innovative services that enhance patient access to advanced cancer care. US Oncology supports one of the nation’s foremost cancer treatment and research networks, accelerating the availability and use of evidence-based medicine and shared best practices.

US Oncology’s expertise in supporting every aspect of the cancer care delivery system–from drug development to treatment and outcomes measurement–enables the company to help increase the efficiency and safety of cancer care. According to the company’s last quarterly earnings report, US Oncology is affiliated with 1,220 physicians operating in 480 locations, including 92 radiation oncology facilities in 39 states. For more information, visit the company’s Web site, http://www.usoncology.com/.

US Oncology

CONTACT: Jennifer Horspool of US Oncology, +1-832-601-6151,[email protected]; or Lisa Henderson, +1-813-775-6208,[email protected], for US Oncology

Web Site: http://www.usoncology.com/

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) and Measure-Through-Motion-and-Low-Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced today that five new independent and objective studies demonstrating Masimo PVI to be highly predictive of patient fluid status will be presented at the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., October 19-21, 2008.

Fluid administration is critical to optimizing patient status and enabling end organ preservation, but traditional methods to guide fluid administration are invasive and often fail to predict fluid responsiveness. PVI has been shown to predict fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients under general anesthesia during surgery, and may help clinicians optimize fluid administration and improve patient outcomes.(2-4)

Also at ASA for the first time, Masimo will be showcasing live demonstrations of the first-ever noninvasive and continuous hemoglobin (SpHb) and Oxygen Content (SpOC) monitor. SpHb provides instantaneous hemoglobin measurements that may facilitate faster, easier, safer, and better clinical decisions by allowing clinicians to more quickly detect chronic or acute anemia, identify occult bleeding earlier, and more effectively manage blood transfusions. While oxygen saturation (SpO2) and hemoglobin are considered critical parameters for patient management, neither parameter by itself can indicate the actual amount of oxygen in the blood. However, now with Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry, SpHb and SpO2 can be used together to provide clinicians with the first-and-only technology for real-time and noninvasive oxygen content (SpOC(TM)) monitoring, providing a more complete picture of oxygenation status and potentially allowing earlier indication of when a patient crosses the threshold into a critical oxygen deficit.

The following studies will be presented at the ASA Annual Meeting:

Impact of PEEP on Perfusion Index and Plethysmographic Variability Index(1)-A1068, Presented: October 20, 2008, 2:00-4:30 p.m., Room Hall E2-Area M

Ability of Pleth Variability Index to Non Invasively Predict the Hemodynamic Effects of PEEP(2)-A1608, Presented: October 22, 2008, 8:00-9:30 a.m., Room 230C

Ability of Pleth Variability Index to Detect Preload Changes in Orthotopic Liver Transplant Patients(3)-A1605, Presented: October 22, 2008, 8:00-9:30 a.m., Room 230C

Pleth Variability Index: A Noninvasive Device for Fluid Responsiveness Assessment during Anesthesia(4)-A1604, Presented: October 22, 2008, 8:00-9:30 a.m., Room 230C

Impact of Lower Extremity Nerve Blockage on Oximeter Perfusion Index & Pleth Variability Index(5)-A1603, Presented: October 22, 2008, 8:00-9:30 a.m., Room 230C

Michael O’Reilly, MD, EVP of Medical Affairs at Masimo, stated; “These studies add to the evidence showing that PVI can provide clinicians with an effective and efficient noninvasive method of continuously measuring their patient’s fluid volume. This should enable more accurate fluid administration decisions — allowing clinicians to add a level of certainty and immediacy toward managing intravascular fluid volumes and cardiac output both inside and outside of the operating room.”

PVI is available as part of Masimo Rainbow SET(R) Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) — the first-and-only technology platform to noninvasively measure blood constituents and fluid responsiveness that previously required invasive procedures, including: noninvasive & continuous total hemoglobin (SpHb(TM)), oxygen content (SpOC(TM)), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO(R)), methemoglobin (SpMet(R)) and Pleth Variability Index (PVI), in addition to the ‘gold standard’ measure-through-motion-and-low-perfusion performance of Masimo SET(R) Oxygen Saturation (SpO2), Pulse Rate (PR) and Perfusion Index (PI).

About Masimo

Masimo develops innovative monitoring technologies that significantly improve patient care — helping solve “unsolvable” problems. In 1995, the company debuted Measure-Through-Motion-and-Low-Perfusion pulse oximetry, known as Masimo SET, which virtually eliminated false alarms and increased pulse oximetry’s ability to detect life-threatening events. More than 100 independent and objective studies demonstrate Masimo SET provides the most reliable SpO2 and pulse rate measurements even under the most challenging clinical conditions, including patient motion and low peripheral perfusion. In 2005, Masimo introduced Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry, a breakthrough noninvasive blood constituent monitoring platform that can measure many blood constituents that previously required invasive procedures. Masimo Rainbow SET continuously and noninvasively measures total hemoglobin (SpHb(TM)), oxygen content (SpOC(TM)), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO(R)), methemoglobin (SpMet(R)), and PVI(TM), in addition to oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), pulse rate (PR), and perfusion index (PI), allowing early detection and treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions. Founded in 1989, Masimo has the mission of “Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications.” Additional information about Masimo and its products may be found at http://www.masimo.com/.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in connection with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to risks and uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control and could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in our forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors, including, but not limited to: risks related to our belief that Masimo PVI and total hemoglobin (SpHb(TM)) will deliver a sufficient level of clinical improvement over alternative fluid assessment and hemoglobin measurement capabilities to allow for rapid adoption of the technology, risks related to our assumptions regarding the repeatability of clinical results, and risks related to our assumptions regarding timing or commercial availability of SpHb, as well as other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 28, 2008, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on August 5, 2008, which may be obtained for free at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov/. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our expectations will prove correct. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today’s date. We do not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these forward-looking statements or the “Risk Factors” contained in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 28, 2008, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under the applicable securities laws.

(1) Impact of PEEP on Perfusion Index and Plethysmographic Variability Index. Nitin K. Shah, M.D., Darin V. Allred, M.D., Laverne Estanol, M.S., Brian Fine, B.S., Gandhi Vipal, B.S. Anesthesiology, Long Beach VAHS, Long Beach, California.

(2) Ability of Pleth Variability Index to Non Invasively Predict the Hemodynamic Effects of PEEP. Olivier Desebbe, M.D., Cecile Boucau, R.D., Pascal Rosamel, M.D., Jean-Jacques Lehot, M.D., Ph.D., Maxime Cannesson, M.D. Department of Anesthesiology, Louis Pradel Hospital, Lyon-Bron, France.

(3) Ability of Pleth Variability Index to Detect Preload Changes in Orthotopic Liver Transplant Patients. Christopher Wray, M.D., Jack Buckley, M.D., Derek Kwan, B.S., Tayeba Maktabi, Aman Mahajan, M.D., Ph.D. Anestheiology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California.

(4) Pleth Variability Index: A Noninvasive Device for Fluid Responsiveness Assessment during Anesthesia. Olivier Desebbe, M.D., Bertrand Delannoy, R.A., Jean-Jacques Lehot, M.D., Ph.D., Olivier Bastien, M.D., Ph.D., Maxime Cannesson, M.D. Department of Anesthesiology, Louis Pradel Hospital, Lyon-Bron, France.

(5) Impact of Lower Extremity Nerve Blockage on Oximeter Perfusion Index & Pleth Variability Index. Darin V. Allred, M.D., Nitin K. Shah, M.D., Laverne Estanol, M.S. Anesthesiology, University of California at Irvine, Orange, California.

    Contact:    Dana Banks    Masimo Corporation    949-297-7348   

Masimo, SET, Signal Extraction Technology, Improving Outcomes and Reducing Cost of Care by Taking Noninvasive Monitoring to New Sites and Applications, Rainbow, SpHb, SpOC, SpCO, SpMet, PVI, Radical-7, Rad-87, Rad-57, Rad-9, Rad-8, Rad-5, Pulse CO-Oximetry and Pulse CO-Oximeter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Masimo Corporation.

Masimo

CONTACT: Dana Banks of Masimo Corporation, +1-949-297-7348

Web site: http://www.masimo.com/

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Wyle is a key partner in the winning team awarded the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center contract to provide occupational health services to site employees and contractors. The five year contract, valued at up to $24 million, is due to begin on Nov. 1.

As a subcontractor to HPM Corporation of Kennewick, Wash., Wyle will perform a variety of tasks including industrial hygiene, health physics, and respiratory protection.

“We are very pleased to expand the occupational health services we currently provide to NASA through this new partnership,” said Bob Ellis, group president of Wyle’s Integrated Science and Engineering Group based in Houston, Tex. “The Marshall contract reinforces our commitment to provide quality occupational health, medical, human performance, and engineering services to support NASA and its exploration endeavors.”

Wyle provides services to support occupational, emergency and preventive medicine; flight medicine; occupational health; and human test support at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, N.M.

The recognized leader in health and applied sciences research, medical operations, and engineering in hazardous environments, Wyle also supports NASA’s Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Constellation and human research programs utilizing an innovative and comprehensive approach to problem solving.

HPM Corporation is a woman owned small business certified in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program offering occupational medicine, occupational safety and health, and project management services, and has experience providing occupational medicine services for the Department of Energy’s Hanford Reservation.

Wyle and HPM Corporation offer complementary services in the areas of occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, health physics, and respiratory protection. This unique blend of science, medicine, and technology enables the team to deliver comprehensive and effective in-house occupational health and safety services for Marshall Space Flight Center.

Wyle, a privately held company, is a leading provider of high-tech aerospace engineering and information technology services to the federal government on long-term outsourcing contracts. The company also provides life sciences services for NASA’s astronaut corps as well as mission critical support including launch services and space simulation; test and evaluation of aircraft, weapon systems, networks, and other government assets; and other engineering services to the aerospace, defense, nuclear power, communications and transportation industries.

    Contact:    Dan Reeder    (310) 563-6834    Ref.:  NR/08-11  

Wyle

CONTACT: Dan Reeder of Wyle, +1-310-563-6834

Web site: http://www.wylelabs.com/

San Diego-based Awarepoint Corporation today announced that UCSD Medical Center is significantly expanding its Awarepoint Real-time Location System (RTLS) deployment. Following successful implementation and a fully vetted return on investment at the system’s Thornton facility, the Awarepoint relationship has now been expanded to include its Hillcrest campus, which is the primary hospital for the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. The recently renovated Hillcrest campus is a 386-bed hospital inclusive of nearly 1,000,000 square feet. The expansion to UCSD Medical Center – Hillcrest more than doubles the coverage area and triples the number of equipment assets the Medical Center is wirelessly tracking with Awarepoint’s Active RFID Real-time Location Solution.

“RFID asset tracking success at UCSD Medical Center’s Thornton facility prompted expansion to the larger Hillcrest facility, located nearly 14 miles away. The expansion to Hillcrest also provides UCSD Medical Center the ability to see real-time status and have complete oversight of shared assets between both campuses, which are significant challenges for the Medical Center today,” said Kenny Woods, Senior Vice President of Sales for Awarepoint. Thornton Hospital is UCSD’s 119-bed, 238,792 square foot general medical-surgical facility, and has been live with the Awarepoint Real-time Awareness Solution for more than 18 months.

Tom Hamelin, Director of Perioperative Services, is responsible for sourcing UCSD Medical Center’s Zigbee-based real-time location solution with a goal of addressing several persistent problems relating to asset tracking management, including:

 --  Lowering equipment rental costs --  Reducing staff time spent searching for equipment --  Minimizing equipment theft and loss --  Reducing equipment inventory requirements --  Improving equipment maintenance process --  Improving responsiveness to JCAHO and FDA requirements      

“The significant challenge common to all of these is timely, reliable locating of important equipment and assets,” said Tom. Tom chose to install the smaller UCSD Medical Center Thornton campus first to quickly provide a quantifiable return on investment. “With the combination of capital equipment expenditure savings and increased demand for asset visibility among staff after the Thornton installation, it was not difficult to get approval to expand into Hillcrest,” continued Tom.

The Awarepoint Real-time Location System was selected because it offers UCSD Medical Center room level location accuracy on an enterprise-wide basis while providing a 100% wireless, non-disruptive installation. Awarepoint’s business model provided the hospital a low cost to start because there were no construction costs and a fully managed service model that allows easy scalability on a per asset per month basis.

About UCSD Medical Center

University of California San Diego (UCSD) operates San Diego’s only academic medical center system of hospitals, clinics and regional specialty centers. The two-hospital system includes UCSD Medical Center-Hillcrest, licensed for 386 beds, and the 119-bed John M. and Sally B. Thornton Hospital, which opened in the summer of 1993. UCSD Medical Center – Hillcrest is the primary hospital for the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. The region’s only academic medical center offers both primary care and specialized services, including a full range: Surgery, Diagnosis and Management of Genetic Diseases, Neurology, Orthopedics and Hyperbaric Medicine Center. The recently renovated 386-bed hospital at UCSD Medical Center – Hillcrest is also the primary site for such regional services as Bone Marrow Transplantation, Regional Burn Center, Infant Special Care Center (NICU), UCSD’s Birth Center, the County’s Only Level I Trauma Center and the National Institutes of Health-Designated Clinical Research Center

About Awarepoint

Awarepoint’s Active RFID technologies and real time location systems (RTLSs) include its real time awareness platform, firmware, RFID tags, sensors, and bridges. Awarepoint’s technologies collect raw sensor data and transform that data into high-value positioning information that can be used to add location awareness to a variety of healthcare, manufacturing, security and other applications. Requiring no hard wiring, Awarepoint’s “plug and track” network is a fully managed service, including hardware, software, remote monitoring and maintenance. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California and serves hospitals across the United States through a national sales and operations workforce. Track us down at www.awarepoint.com.

 Contact:  Xenia Moore Moore Media Relations Email Contact Phone  619-275-0185 Fax 619-374-2596  Valerie Fritz Awarepoint® Email Contact Phone  858-345-5009 Fax 858-535-1808  

SOURCE: Awarepoint

ARKequity, LLC today announced its affiliation with “Integrity Health”, a New Jersey based health benefits management company (www.integrityhealth.com). The Company is a funding partner for Integrity Health and is providing financial advisory services on an ongoing basis.

Founded and operated by innovative industry leader Douglas Forrester, Integrity Health offers plan sponsors and their employees a customized and complete administrative program for healthcare, coupled with insurance protection from a rated carrier.

“Integrity Health is a bold new initiative in providing health benefits,” said David J. Reape, ARKequity Chairman. “It’s based on sound and proven theories that are decades old. Up until now, no one has put these theories on prevention, transparency and early care into practice with web-based technology in much the same the way as Integrity Health has done.”

According to Mr. Reape, healthcare represents one of the few industries that offers multiple, positive drivers for future growth. “The rising costs of healthcare, and the impact of these costs on the competitiveness of U.S. companies is placing a premium on cost containment solutions. This focus is occurring against a backdrop of an aging U.S. population that will increasingly require more healthcare services and a change in the administration in Washington where both parties and candidates are placing healthcare reform high on their list of priorities.”

Doug Forrester stated, “While the outcome of trends is somewhat uncertain, what remains constant is that every member of the healthcare value chain – consumers, sponsors, insurers and governments – are looking for better, more effective ways to manage costs and improve wellness.”

Partnering with Integrity Health was ideal for ARKequity. “Because of its unique positioning in the market, and because of the opportunity to work with Doug Forrester, the founding principal of a major prescriptions benefit company who championed early intervention and wellness issuers in his US Senate and Gubernatorial campaigns, we know we have the right partner in this important segment”, concluded Reape.

Launched in July 2008, Integrity Health presently has more than 5,000 lives under contract comprised primarily of school teachers and their families in the New Jersey market. The company’s model can produce tangible cost savings for employers and municipalities nationwide, and programs are in development for plan sponsors in a variety of states for introduction over the coming year.

For further information please contact David R. Evanson. 610-505-0832.

About Integrity Health:

Integrity Health offers individuals a customized and administrative program for healthcare coupled with insurance protection from a rated carrier, providing plan sponsors with a turnkey solutions including state-of-the-art TPA, disease management and network services. The company offers an industry leading website at www.integrityhealth.com.

About ARKequity:

ARKequity is a private equity company based in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Accelerating entrepreneurial enterprises, ARKequity provides economic and intellectual capital, wrapping safety around uncertainty. ARKequity invests in passionate entrepreneurs over a broad range of industry, who offer dynamic strategy and uncompromising commitment for success. The company features a progressive online website at www.arkequity.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995; This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements,” as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and the actual results and future events could differ materially from management’s current expectations. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

KUMASI, Ghana, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Ghana President John Kufuor today dedicated the city’s new hopeXchange Medical Center, a high quality diagnostic and treatment facility with special focus on breast cancer. During the ceremony, President Kufuor welcomed a high-profile mission delegation organized and led by Susan G. Komen for the Cure(R)’s President and CEO Hala Moddelmog, and acknowledged the significant role that Komen for the Cure can play in advancing the fight against breast cancer in Africa.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070122/NYM084LOGO)

Moddelmog was joined by physicians, researchers, advocates, survivors and celebrities, including actress Gabrielle Union, philanthropist Malaak Rock, wife of comedian Chris Rock, and breast cancer survivor and activist Billye Aaron, the wife of baseball great Hank Aaron. The delegation is spending four meeting- and event-packed days in Africa, where it will wind up this first-ever trip to the continent with a stop in Tanzania to cheer on participants in the first Tanzania Race for the Cure(R) organized by the Tanzania Breast Cancer Foundation in collaboration with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

“In addition to awareness about early detection, access to a state-of-the-art treatment facility is critical to addressing the very high breast cancer mortality rate in Ghana,” said Moddelmog. “Susan G. Komen for the Cure is deeply committed to supporting hopeXchange Medical Center through collaboration with local and international breast cancer experts, Ghanaian government officials and non-governmental organizations.”

The hopeXchange Medical Center will offer accessible and affordable breast health services, and house an interactive Learning Laboratory of the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI), where doctors and scientists share critical information and offer continuing medical education courses to healthcare providers in Ghana.

Early Detection Remains Key

Funding by Komen for the Cure’s Global Promise Fund will allow for planning and implementation of a regional breast cancer awareness and education campaign, the first and most important step in curbing the high breast cancer mortality rate, and will facilitate the launch of the Ghana Breast Cancer Alliance.

“Doctors, health workers, breast cancer advocates and survivors are the key to increasing the Ghanaian people’s confidence in surviving breast cancer when it is discovered early,” added Moddelmog.

BHGI’s mission is to develop, implement and study evidence-based, economically feasible and culturally appropriate guidelines for International Breast Health and Control in low- and middle-income countries. BHGI is co-founded and co-sponsored by Komen and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Ghana: Combating Breast Cancer Social Stigma

Nearly 70 percent of women in Ghana diagnosed with breast cancer who seek help have advanced forms of the disease, which are harder to treat and survive. Social stigma surrounding breast cancer forces many Ghanaian women to keep their symptoms secret. Many die without receiving any treatment at all.

Komen’s global expansion efforts target parts of the world where high breast cancer incidence and mortality rates exist, and where political and economic stability, along with an attitude of readiness for change exist. Ghana is an example of a low- to middle-income country that is poised to work with Komen to improve the breast health of its citizens.

“With the right mix of resources, communication and collaboration, countries like Ghana can put in place the systems that are necessary to prevent the needless breast cancer deaths of thousands of women,” said Dr. Ben O. Anderson, M.D., chair and director of BHGI.

BHGI will work closely with hopeXchange and high-level Ghanaian governmental and health officials, to help create a center that provides breast health learning experiences in keeping with Ghana’s unique cultural, economic and political realities.

The Lab: Learning, Collaborating, Tracking Data

Learning Laboratory Kumasi Hope is BHGI’s first such installation. Its main component will be curriculum development for the breast cancer continuing education needs of Ghanaian medical personnel. The curriculum will be developed through the laboratory with Dr. Anderson leading an international multi-disciplinary team including local health officials to develop, apply and test curricula based upon the published BHGI “Guidelines for International Breast Health and Cancer Control Implementation.” This expert team will teach breast health care and breast cancer biology, and discuss ways to overcome real-world resource limitations that exist in Ghana and other low- and middle-income countries.

In a planned second phase of activities, the Learning Laboratory will work with civil authorities to study and implement a citywide hospital-based breast cancer registry in Kumasi, with the full direction, collaboration and approval of the Ghana Ministry of Health.

Cancer registration has a pivotal role in cancer control strategies. According to the 2006 report on cancer registration in Ghana by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Kumasi is one of only two geographical areas in Ghana where a population-based or hospital-based cancer registry could be effectively established, due to the availability of appropriate cancer diagnosis and management facilities.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure(R)

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure(R), we have invested more than $1.2 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit http://www.komen.org/ or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

About hopeXchange Medical Center

HopeXchange Medical Center, a new 80-bed specialty hospital facility, will serve as a regional hub for the delivery of high quality healthcare services and training in five specific areas: women’s cancers, HIV, malaria, facial malformations and ophthalmology. The Center will offer continuing medical education, tailored to the resources available in the Ghanaian health care system and to the specific needs of the Ghanaian healthcare providers. Initial patient services such as the breast cancer diagnostic and treatment facility will commence in the spring of 2009. HopeXchange Medical Center is located on 6.15 acres of land donated by the Catholic Diocese of Kumasi, Ghana.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070122/NYM084LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

CONTACT: Julie Bernstein, +1-240-601-5562, [email protected], orEmily Callahan, +1-972-855-1607, [email protected], both of Susan G. Komenfor the Cure

Web Site: http://www.komen.org/

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, a multinational specialty pharmaceutical company, has acquired Coria Laboratories, a privately-held specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology products in the US.

Under the terms of the agreement, Valeant purchased all of the outstanding shares of Coria from parent company, DFB Pharmaceuticals, and other shareholders for $95 million.

MedImmune, a biotechnology company, has licensed its proprietary reverse genetics intellectual property to Omninvest, a research and manufacturing company, to support the development and construction of new vaccine strains to produce non-live human influenza vaccines.

MedImmune will receive an upfront payment and has the potential to receive royalties on certain vaccine stockpiles or sales of other influenza products developed using the reverse genetics technology.

Jonathan Klein-Evans, vice president of intellectual property at MedImmune, said: “Omninvest has demonstrated decades of commitment to providing protection against influenza, and we commend their commitment to donate some of their product to the World Health Organization stockpile for distribution among developing nations. MedImmune is pleased to license our reverse genetics technology to Omninvest as we have done previously to five other influenza vaccine manufacturers.”

HALF MOON BAY, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Volunteer dermatologists, nurses, medical students and others representing the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) teamed up at the recent LPGA’s Samsung World Championship in Half Moon Bay, CA to combat skin cancer at a time when melanoma rates are on the upswing among younger women.

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Supporting their efforts is top-ranked LPGA Tour player Paula Creamer, who serves as sun safety ambassador of the WDS Play Safe in the Sun campaign. Creamer won the prestigious championship in a field consisting of the world’s top 20 players. “It feels so great winning this championship and so does supporting the Women’s Dermatologic Society’s winning effort to raise awareness about sun safety and skin cancer for outdoor enthusiasts,” comments Paula Creamer.

This community service outreach, presented in collaborative partnership with L’Oreal USA, primarily targets females who enjoy outdoor sports such as golf and tennis.

WDS President Suzanne Connolly states, “Every person who comes into the booth to learn more about protecting the skin from sun damage is a victory for us, as we are fully committed to doing our part to promote good skin health practices and skin cancer prevention through sun safety education and early detection.”

WDS Board member and board-certified California dermatologist Mary Spellman, MD, successfully led a well-rounded team of volunteers through a weekend of free skin cancer screenings, sun safety education and sun damage assessments utilizing ultraviolet reflectance units. Dermatologists, dermatology nurses, medical students, family members of the WDS volunteers and others worked together to reach out to a population that faces a heightened risk of developing skin cancer due to the prolonged sun exposure that comes with the game of golf.

“We were delighted to educate and screen tournament spectators and members of the media who spend a considerable amount of time outdoors and did not fully realize the necessity of year-round sun protection in the Bay Area’s cloudy and cooler weather,” remarks event chair Dr. Spellman.

The following local dermatologists volunteered at the outreach: Keira Barr, MD, Sonia Badreshia, MD, Kelly Cordoro, MD, Juliette Lee, MD, Paradi Mirmirani, MD, Kristin Nord, MD, Marlyanne Pol-Rodriguez, MD, Mary Spellman, MD, Lynn Sydor, MD, and Nancy Todes-Taylor, MD. WDS President Suzanne Connolly, MD of the Mayo Clinic (Arizona) joined in the sun safety educational outreach as well.

Boston University medical students Cindy Bae and Lisa Nguyen conducted the campaign’s first formal questionnaire, which was designed to measure the impact of viewing sun damage on participating individuals in terms of present and future sun protection behaviors. The study will eventually be published after further data is collected during a future WDS outreach.

Enhancing the public outreach in support of the physicians were dermatology nurses Janet Lewis, RN and Pat McClelland, RN, both members of the Dermatology Nurses Association, and Pat Wong, RN. Others providing hands-on support included Sandy Esquivel, Nora Zappas and several family members of the WDS dermatologists, including young children who helped distribute free sunscreen to the crowd.

   Event highlights include:    -- 292 sun damage assessments were conducted utilizing UV reflectance      units.   -- 242 individuals participated in the sun damage assessment study.   -- 92 free skin cancer screenings were conducted for fans and members of      the media.   -- 35% of the individuals who were screened were referred to      dermatologists for further diagnosis/biopsy of suspicious sites      presumptively diagnosed as skin cancer.   -- Golf fans received 13,000 free samples of broad-spectrum sunscreen with      reminders to protect the skin even under the area's cloudy skies and      cooler weather.   -- Hayward Mayor Michael Sweeney issued a proclamation to WDS in      recognition of the importance of sun safety and skin cancer prevention.    

The 3-year outreach campaign is made possible through a generous grant from L’Oreal USA to the WDS Foundation. Product donations were provided by Garnier, Lancome and La Roche-Posay.

WDS members Adrienne Stewart, MD (Denver, CO) and Michel McDonald, MD (Nashville, TN) serve as co-chairs of the WDS Service Committee. The Play Safe in the Sun campaign draws from the Society’s 1,600 members to provide volunteer support in local communities to heighten sun safety awareness and promote healthy skin practices among outdoor enthusiasts. For further information, please visit: http://www.playsafeinthesun.org/ or http://www.womensderm.org/. To view Paula Creamer’s video message about sun safety, visit: http://www.playsafeinthesun.org/news/paula_creamer.html

ABOUT THE WOMEN’S DERMATOLOGIC SOCIETY

The Women’s Dermatologic Society supports the careers and professional development of women dermatologists. The mission of the Women’s Dermatologic Society is to help women in dermatology achieve their greatest personal and professional potential by striving to foster, promote, and support women’s issues in dermatology; identify, train, and recognize women leaders in dermatology; and provide a forum for developing relationships and the exchange of ideas and research relevant to women’s issues; and promote the highest possible standards of ethics, research, patient care and education, as well as public education.

ABOUT L’OREAL USA

L’Oreal USA, headquartered in New York City, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L’Oreal SA, one of the world’s leading beauty companies. L’Oreal USA has Research and Development, Manufacturing and Distribution facilities across eight states in the U.S., including New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado and Texas. L’Oreal’s impressive portfolio of brands includes Lancome, Giorgio Armani, Shu Uemura, L’Oreal Paris, Garnier, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, L’Oreal Professionel and Kerastase. The U.S. is the base for the product development, international marketing and advertising for L’Oreal’s nine American brands: Maybelline New York, Soft-Sheen, Carson, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Redken 5th Avenue NYC, Matrix, Mizani, SkinCeuticals and PureOlogy.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081017/AQF510http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080508/AQTH063LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]

Women’s Dermatologic Society

CONTACT: Media, Nancy FitzGerald, +1-415-764-4925, or General Inquiries,Kerry Parker, 1-877-WDS-ROSE, both of Women’s Dermatologic Society

Web site: http://www.womensderm.org/http://www.playsafeinthesun.org/

Magellan Health Services, Inc. and CHOICES Network of Arizona today announced that they have reached agreement to transfer eight behavioral direct care clinics that Magellan of Arizona currently operates in its role as the Maricopa County Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) to CHOICES. The agreement is further progress in the changes envisioned by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) when Magellan of Arizona was awarded the RBHA contract in 2007. With the CHOICES agreement, Magellan now has plans in place for the transfer of more than half of its direct care facilities to adult provider network organizations in Maricopa County.

The West McDowell and Heatherbrae clinics will officially transition to CHOICES Network of Arizona in November. The Park North and Townley clinics will transition in December; Thomas Road and Tempe clinics in January 2009; and South Central and Arcadia in February 2009. Service recipients served by each of these clinics will be notified of the change through a letter. There will be no change in the way care is provided or in the clinical and medical staff serving consumers as a result of these transitions.

“We at the Department of Health Services are very happy that Magellan reached an agreement with CHOICES and that they will be joining Southwest Network as the second adult provider network in Maricopa County,” said acting Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Services Dr. Laura K. Nelson. “We look forward to meeting with CHOICES in the near future to discuss our mutual goals toward a more recovery-oriented system.”

Richard Clarke, Ph.D., CEO of Magellan Health Services of Arizona, said, “The transition of these clinics to CHOICES represents another significant step in fulfilling the vision set forth by ADHS for system transformation. CHOICES will be a valuable partner in our overall effort to provide the best care possible and highest level of system support to persons with serious mental illness and their families in Maricopa County.”

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Magellan and look forward to providing high quality behavioral health care to consumers at all eight clinic locations,” said Ron Smith, CEO of CHOICES Network of Arizona. “CHOICES believes in the transformation of Maricopa County’s system of care – we are eager to be a part of that change and apply our long history of excellence to these new locations.”

Under Magellan’s contract with the Arizona Department of Health Services, the company’s 23 direct care clinics and urgent psychiatric center, which it acquired last year from the previous managed care contractor in the course of assuming management of the program, will be transitioned to community provider network organizations by October 2009.

About Magellan

For more information about Magellan of Arizona, visit www.MagellanofAZ.com or call Magellan Member Services at 800-564-5465.

Magellan Health Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:MGLN) manages public sector behavioral health care programs covering nearly two million individuals through direct contracts with government agencies in Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. It also manages behavioral health care as a subcontractor to leading health plans serving Medicaid programs in Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, and Texas. Headquartered in Avon, Conn., Magellan is a leading specialty health care management organization. In addition to behavioral health care, the company manages radiology benefits and specialty pharmaceuticals. Its customers include health plans, corporations, and government agencies.

About CHOICES Network of Arizona

For more information about CHOICES Network of Arizona, call (602) 952-3400.

CHOICES Network of Arizona, Inc. is a Provider Network Organization (PNO) which is part of the Maricopa County behavioral health service system under Magellan of Arizona, the Regional Behavioral Health Authority. As a PNO, CHOICES has the responsibility for ensuring the provision of effective behavioral health services through direct provision of case management services and oversight of a network of provider agencies. CHOICES works collaboratively with Magellan and the other Maricopa County PNOs to ensure recovery-based care.

CHOICES sponsor agencies include Arizona Healthcare, Chicanos por la Causa, National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), New Arizona Family Incorporated (NAFI), TERROS and Triple R Behavioral Health.

CHOICES members include Ebony House, Quality Care Network, Native American Connections, Stand Together and Recover (STAR), North Valley Visions of Hope and consumer representation from the community.

Ascent Healthcare Solutions, a leader in the medical device industry delivering efficiency and sustainability in healthcare, has added reusable ablation cables to its extensive product offering for the treatment and management of cardiac arrhythmias. Under a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation, hospitals are required to run their EtO sterilizers at full capacity except in medically necessary circumstances. Ascent offers hospitals a cost-effective sterilization option that eliminates any threat to the ozone layer from harmful ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions.

Ascent extended its offering to add reusable ablation cables at the request of hospitals that do not want the added expense and workflow demands of purchasing, storing and maintaining significantly more expensive original cables to ensure they have an adequate supply on hand. Although the new EPA regulations create an added urgency, many of Ascent’s environmentally responsible hospital partners have already responded to global environmental concerns about the impact of EtO emissions by moving away from in-house EtO sterilization and choosing third-party resterilization facilities, which also reduces their solid and hazardous waste. EtO tonnage dropped from 1,000 in 1995 to just 135 in 2005; however, some medical devices such as ablation cables cannot be sterilized using alternate methods. Unlike most hospital sterilizers, Ascent’s state-of-the-art, validated EtO sterilizers capture and recycle all EtO emissions.

Using validated cleaning, testing and packaging procedures, Ascent resterilizes reusable ablation cables according to the original equipment manufacturer’s instructions. The highest quality is ensured through lead-to-lead continuity testing on 100 percent of the resterilized cables.

“Most hospitals don’t have the financial or human capital needed to retrofit and revalidate their sterilizers as well as validate every sterilizer load to meet EPA and FDA requirements,” explained Ascent COO Rick Ferreira. “We are pleased to offer our hospital partners the convenience of the widest range of reprocessing and resterilization products for cardiac arrhythmia management to support their efforts to improve air quality and to focus on their core competency — patient care.”

About Ascent Healthcare Solutions

By continuously pioneering sustainability initiatives in healthcare, Ascent Healthcare Solutions has become a leader in the medical device industry. Ascent’s programs target inefficient practices to reclaim and redirect consumable and financial resources to promote healthy and responsible hospitals. Today, Ascent’s medical device sustainability programs deliver reprocessed and/or remanufactured medical devices, as well as comprehensive recycling and redistribution initiatives. Ascent has been recognized as a “Champion for Change” by Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (now Practice Greenhealth) in recognition of the dramatic environmental benefits its reprocessing programs provide to U.S. hospitals and surgery centers. Ascent’s 1,700 hospital partners include most of the U.S. News and World Report “Honor Roll” hospitals. The company has agreements with all leading national group purchasing organizations as well as numerous nationally recognized hospital integrated delivery networks. For more information about Ascent Healthcare Solutions, visit www.ascenths.com.

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ — Between 60 and 70 million Americans experience some sort of digestive health issue (*see reference, below). The issue may be that Americans haven’t “digested” the ways in which prebiotics and probiotics could benefit them. For this reason, MyHealthGate, Inc. is helping to raise awareness for prebiotics and probiotics by working with a truly innovative product — LiveActive Chewy Granola Bars from Kraft, the first nationally available non-refrigerated snack bar that contains a live probiotic culture and fiber. The bars come in three great-tasting flavors: Blueberry Almond, Chocolate Raspberry and Peanut Butter.

“We were excited to work with LiveActive to help raise awareness for digestive health,” says Hooman Abrishami, President of MyHealthGate, Inc., “our site members and visitors are keenly interested in nutritious foods, and probiotics are a hot new offering.”

As part of a special limited time offer, free samples of LiveActive Chewy Granola Bars will be sent to new MyHealthGate.com site members, courtesy of Kraft.

New LiveActive Chewy Granola Bars are a delicious new way to help promote digestive health. Like many familiar foods — including some breakfast cereals and yogurt — LiveActive Chewy Granola Bars contain a live probiotic culture. Probiotics are live cultures that exist naturally in the digestive system and are useful for healthy digestive functions. Plus, with chewy granola, delicious fruits and nuts and even chocolate flavor, these snacks are a tasty way to help promote digestive health while on the go.

MyHealthGate is a web community where people with wellness-related interests can share their experiences and learn from each other. It was founded on the belief that our everyday choices, such as the food we eat and the activities we engage in, have a profound effect on our health and well being. The founders of MyHealthGate believe that by making adjustments to our lifestyle, we are able to optimize our well being. MyHealthGate provides an open and flexible environment so users can express themselves freely, post original content, and communicate with each other.

More information: http://www.myhealthgate.com/.

(*REF: Adams PF, Hendershot GE, Marano MA. Current estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 1996. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat. 1999;10(200).)

   All trademarks acknowledged.    *(LOGO 72dpi: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/08-1016-MyHealth_72dpi.jpg)   

This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.send2press.com/

MyHealthGate, Inc.

CONTACT: Ada Vaughan of MyHealthGate, Inc., +1-630-440-6501,[email protected]

Web site: http://www.myhealthgate.com/http://www.send2press.com/

SEATTLE, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Swedish Neuroscience Institute (SNI) today announced that as part of Swedish Medical Center’s newly renovated Cherry Hill Campus, the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment (CABTT) has now officially opened its doors to patients diagnosed with both benign and malignant brain tumors. In a move that further establishes Swedish Medical Center as a leader in the field of neuroscience, CABTT’s unique facility is the first community-based center in Washington state that enables scientists, researchers, doctors and patients to work collaboratively toward new treatment options for those diagnosed with all stages of brain tumors, including brain cancer.

“The Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment is poised to make major breakthroughs in the treatment of both benign and malignant brain tumors,” said Marc Mayberg, M.D., co-executive director of Swedish Neuroscience Institute. “These advancements and the skilled work of the center’s doctors, scientists and staff, bring Swedish to the forefront of brain-tumor research and treatment.”

Now fully operational, the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment gives brain-tumor patients and their families access to a unique multidisciplinary team of skilled neurosurgeons, oncologists, radiologists and a specialized nursing staff to deliver coordinated care and innovative treatments for both benign and malignant brain tumors. CABTT’s unique design places its world-class research facility directly adjacent to the patient clinic, providing instant access to promising new therapies discovered through gene-sequencing technologies.

“For patients managing a brain-cancer diagnosis, access to multiple doctors in one location cuts down on repeat appointments and provides more efficient care,” said David Newell, M.D., co-executive director of Swedish Neuroscience Institute. “Centers such as CABTT are an important part of the Swedish Neuroscience Institute’s strategy to provide exceptional, compassionate and easy-to-access care to patients with neurological diseases and disorders.”

Despite scientific research, brain cancer remains the most malignant form of cancer known to humankind, rapidly progressive and uniformly fatal, despite treatments ranging from surgery to radiation to chemotherapy. In the past 25 years, only two new treatments for brain cancer have been FDA approved and while some scientists and doctors are working hard toward a cure, the lack of funding and awareness for the disease — coupled with the survival rate of patients — leaves brain cancer to be classified as an ‘orphaned’ disease. With the unveiling of CABTT, Seattle-based doctors and researchers are working in collaboration to establish community-based clinical trials to further execute their research and increase the survivability and quality of life for patients diagnosed with brain cancer.

“Until recently, patients who received a brain-cancer diagnosis in the Pacific Northwest had few options for access to truly state-of-the-art facilities,” said CABTT Director and SNI Neurosurgeon Gregory Foltz, M.D. “Brain cancer is a very aggressive, terminal disease, and most patients were previously faced with traveling to receive the best possible care and access to clinical trials, taking away precious time with their loved ones and leaving them with a sense of hopelessness. Our vision for CABTT is to create a facility that enables patients to actively participate in clinical trials expediting the approval process for new treatments and rivaling the top treatment centers in the country.”

Advanced Technology Fuels Patient Care

Incorporated into the coordinated patient-care clinic, CABTT is home to a comprehensive brain-tumor research laboratory that provides rapid genetic analysis of all patient tumors. By analyzing DNA from tumors extracted during surgery, Dr. Foltz and his team of scientists and researchers are able to determine which genes are stimulating tumor growth. From there, the team is able to provide custom-tailored treatment options to fight reoccurring tumor growth. To date, this kind of individualized patient care improves survivability and provides a greater quality of life.

“Essentially we are looking for clues that tell us how the tumor is growing and hopefully how we can mitigate future growth patterns,” said Dr. Foltz. “CABTT is the only place in the country doing this kind of next-generation genomic sequencing for all its brain-cancer patients and it’s incredibly rewarding to apply this technology to increase the longevity and quality of our patients’ lives.”

The Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment was largely established with gifts from the philanthropic community. To date, CABTT has received more than $3.5 million in private community support led by a $2 million gift from the David and Sandra Sabey family. For more information about the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment or new initiatives from Swedish Neuroscience Institute, visit http://www.swedish.org/.

About the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment

Opened in 2008, the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment (http://www.swedish.org/body.cfm?id=22&oTopID=22) gives brain-tumor patients and their families access to a unique multidisciplinary team of skilled neurosurgeons, oncologists, radiologists and a specialized nursing staff to deliver coordinated care and innovative treatments for both benign and malignant brain tumors. CABTT’s unique design places its world-class research facility directly adjacent to the outpatient clinic, providing patients instant access to promising new therapies discovered through gene-sequencing technologies. As part of the Swedish Neuroscience Institute located on Swedish Medical Center’s Cherry Hill Campus, CABTT is the first brain-tumor-specific, community-based facility of its kind in the Pacific Northwest to provide new hope for patients with all stages of brain tumors, including brain cancer.

About the Swedish Neuroscience Institute

In 2004, Swedish Medical Center expanded its neuroscience services by establishing the Swedish Neuroscience Institute. The team of leading neurosurgeons and other specialists are building a world-class institute dedicated solely to the treatment and advancement of neurological disorders for patients in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. The Swedish/Cherry Hill Campus is the hub for the Institute and has been upgraded with four state-of-the-art operating rooms with intra-operative MRI and CT scanning, neuro-interventional radiology capabilities, a renovated neuro intensive-care unit, and a CyberKnife(R) center for radiosurgical treatment of tumors throughout the body. (http://www.swedish.org/body.cfm?id=22&oTopID=22 )

Swedish Neuroscience Institute

CONTACT: Ed Boyle of Swedish, Corporate Communications, +1-206-386-2748,[email protected]; or Aaron Blank of The Fearey Group, +1-206-343-1543,[email protected], for the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment

Web Site: http://http//www.swedish.org

Louis Church has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Echt Cancer Treatment Group, a provider of oncologic diagnostics, radiation oncology, medical oncology and one of the nation’s largest providers of prostate seed implant therapy.

Gregory A. Echt, MD, founder of the Echt Cancer Treatment Group, said, “The CEO’s position is new, and was created specifically to execute the company’s plans for sustained growth and expansion in the north Texas region – and beyond.

“Louis has such exceptional experience and knowledge in the healthcare field, is a proven senior executive with a track record of growth management, and possesses the vision we need to build our organization into a diversified leader in cancer education and treatment in Texas.”

Church, 55, a resident of Fort Worth, was most recently President and CEO of Sante Rehabilitation Group, where he also was an investor and a member of the Board of Directors. He formerly was President, CEO and Vice Chairman of Signature Home Care Group. He also has been Director of Home Health Care for the Lifemark Hospital Corporation, and was Regional Manager of Kelly Services Healthcare.

“In my role, I plan to help Dr. Echt combine leading edge technology and state-of-the-art patient care systems with highly trained physicians and nurses to deliver superior cancer treatment in all of our markets – and new ones as well,” said Church. “My background as CEO of two other healthcare companies has prepared me to help achieve our shared vision in becoming a preeminent provider of oncological services.”

Providing more than 25,000 patient visits last year, the Echt Cancer Treatment Group employs more than 50 physicians, nurses, allied medical professionals and support personnel. The firm prides itself in offering the finest medical treatment available in the north Texas area. For more information, please visit www.lascolinascancercenter.com or www.prostateseedinstitute.com.

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c84a4e/forecast_insight) has announced the addition of the “Forecast Insight: Parkinson’s Disease – Market Upgrade following Evidence of Disease Slowing with Azilect” report to their offering.

Stimulated by evidence of disease slowing with Teva/Lundbecks Azilect (rasagiline), and successful reformulation of leading dopamine agonists, the Parkinson’s disease market value is set to grow by an compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% over the next 5 years (2007-2013), peaking at $3.1 billion in 2013.

Scope

— This report gives a strategic analysis of the likely impact that recent events will have on the future Parkinson’s disease market

— Includes Parkinson’s disease-specific sales forecasts for the key brands and pipeline agents in the seven major markets to 2017

— Provides a global market snapshot by including Parkinson’s disease-specific sales analysis for leading brands outside the seven major markets

— Key conclusions are supported by key opinion leader comment

Highlights of this title

Datamonitor has upgraded its forecasts of Teva/Lundbecks Azilect (rasagiline) following clinical evidence of disease slowing. Over the next 5 years Azilect is expected to become a standard first-line therapy, with sales peaking in 2013, making it the market leading Parkinson’s disease drug at this time.

GlaxoSmithKlines Requip XL (ropinirole extended-release) is set to become the market leading dopamine agonist in 2009. The convenience of once-daily dosing, supported by the theoretical clinical advantage of smoother dopamine receptor agonism, will drive switching from the parent compound and Boehringer Ingelheims Mirapex (pramipexole).

Datamonitor has downgraded its sales forecasts of UCBs Neupro (rotigotine patch) as problems with crystallization of the active ingredient have led to supply issues at a critical phase in its lifecycle. Prescribers are now likely to switch to Requip XL, which arrived on the market at just the right time to take advantage of UCBs misfortune.

Key reasons to purchase this title

— Understand the impact of recent and anticipated events on the Parkinson’s disease market during the forecast period 2008 to 2017

— Quantify the current size of the seven major markets and the trends in the rest of the world

— Assess the impact of events, such as patent expiries and new product launches, on the Parkinson’s disease-specific sales of key brands

 Key Topics Covered:  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Strategic scoping and focus - Insight into the disease market - Contributing experts - Related reports  MARKET DEFINITION AND OVERVIEW - Market definition for this report - Current seven major market assessment - Indication break-down for ATC class N4A-Anti-Parkinson Drugs - Rapidly developing restless legs syndrome market in the US - Parkinsons disease-specific current market value - The 5EU is the largest market for Parkinson disease and is growing at the quickest rate - Individual 5EU markets show significant growth - Dominance of the 5EU market is driven by demographics - Demographics account for the differences among markets - Price premium in the US is less evident in Parkinsons disease - Key events impacting the Parkinsons disease market - Rest of World snapshot - Rest of the world (ROW) revenue similar to that generated by the US - Growth observed in the rest of the world (ROW) over the last 4 years - Leading brand sales in the rest of the world (ROW) - Potential for growth in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries - Total elderly population in BRIC is larger than in the seven major markets - Growth of the Parkinsons disease market in BRIC countries lags behind total drug spend - Future seven major market assessment - Azilect and dopamine agonist reformulations drive future growth - Key events impacting Datamonitors Parkinsons disease market forecast - Shifting drug class dynamics - EU market continues to lead Parkinsons disease sales - Sales forecasts revised upwards - Parkinsons disease market sales forecast overview  BRAND DYNAMICS - Overview of competitive landscape - Current market landscape - Future market landscape - Key drugs in late-stage development for Parkinsons disease - Leading marketed brands - Mirapex (pramipexole) and pramipexole extended-release (Boehringer Ingelheim) - Competition from Requip XL threatens Mirapex - Boehringer Ingelheim developing pramipexole extended-release to combat competition - Forecast for the pramipexole franchise - Pramipexole extended-release clinical trial program - Mirapex instant-release patent situation - Requip IR and XL (ropinirole instant-release and extended-release, GlaxoSmithKline) - Requip XL development and launch - Requip IR is the second most successful dopamine agonist brand - Timely life-cycle management strategy - Requip IR and XL forecasts - Azilect (rasagiline, Teva and Lundbeck) - Evidence of disease slowing impacts forecasts - Disease slowing proven with ADAGIO trial - Switching from selegiline and new patients drives growth - Azilect forecast - Azilect patent situation - uncertainty expressed in scenario forecasts - Stalevo (entacapone/carbidopa/levodopa) and Comtan (entacapone) (Novartis and Orion) - Drug overview- Comtan - Drug overview- Stalevo - Forecast for Comtan and Stalevo - Patent situation for Comtan and Stalevo - Neupro (rotigotine CDS, UCB) - Uptake was strong in the launched markets throughout 2006 and 2007 - Batch formulation problems - GlaxoSmithKline set to benefit from UCBs misfortune - Neupro forecast - Promising pipeline drugs - Safinamide (NW-1015, Merck-Serono and Newron, Phase III) - Differentiation from established products difficult - Impact of developments over the last 12 months on safinamides commercial potential - Ongoing clinical program - Safinamide forecast - SLV-308 (pardoprunox, Solvay, Phase III) - SLV-308 forecast - Pimavanserin (ACP-103, Acadia, Phase III) - Competing with off-label antipsychotic use - Forecast - Lisuride formulations (Nenad, Lisuride SubQ, Axxonis Pharma and Prestwick Pharmaceuticals, pre-registration) - Lisuride forecasts - Datamonitor comment - safety is the big concern - Nenad (Lisuride transdermal patch) - pre-registration in EU - Lisuride Sub Q (lisuride subcutaneous infusion) - pre-registration in EU - Apomorphine formulations (Aspirair (Vectura), nasal powder (Britannia Pharmaceuticals and Vernalis)) - Apomorphine Aspirair inhaler - Phase II - Apomorphine nasal powder - Phase III in EU - Other pipeline drugs (un-forecasted) - Excegran (AD-810N, zonisamide, Dainippon Pharmaceutical, pre-registration in Japan) - PD-02 - V1512 - Recent discontinuations  Companies Mentioned:  - Teva/Lundbeck - GlaxoSmithKline - UCB 

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c84a4e/forecast_insight

Source: Datamonitor

GREAT RIVER, N.Y., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ — Netsmart Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise-wide software and services for health and human services organizations, today announced it has been awarded a $9.9 million software and services contract by the City and County of San Francisco, Calif.

Under the agreement, the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health Community Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) will utilize Netsmart software and related services to manage all clinical and practice management information and processes.

Netsmart’s Avatar(TM) software suite will serve as the foundation for the wide-ranging San Francisco implementation, including the use of Avatar CalPM, which helps agencies meet unique reporting requirements and provisions of the State of California Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).

CBHS advises that approximately 3,000 active clinical, clerical and administrative staff will utilize Netsmart’s clinical, e-prescribing, practice management and managed services functions to provide

real-time health record documentation, billing, reporting and quality of care functionality, as well as providing the foundation for a consumer and family member portal to the electronic health record and the elements needed to establish the behavioral health client personal health record.

“We’re pleased to be selected to help San Francisco move to the next level in meeting the increasing demand for behavioral health services,” said James L. Conway, chief executive officer, Netsmart Technologies. “This major contract demonstrates our continued focus and growth as the behavioral healthcare software provider of choice in California, with solutions that meet the unique needs of public and community provider organizations.”

Netsmart is now the practice management and clinical technology partner for 44 behavioral health provider agencies and 29 counties in California.

CBHS provides mental health services to approximately 22,000 clients and substance abuse services to approximately 14,000 clients annually. Spanning all modalities of mental health and substance abuse treatment, those clients receive almost two million services per year.

CBHS provides community-based, comprehensive client services utilizing 175 mental health contract and civil service providers, 500 individuals, groups, and facilities in the managed mental healthcare Private Provider Network, and 35 substance abuse contract agencies operating 195 programs in multiple sites throughout San Francisco. In addition, dispersed community pharmacies and laboratories are used by behavioral health clients throughout the San Francisco network of Behavioral Healthcare.

For information about Netsmart Technologies’ full range of solutions for health and human services organizations, visit http://www.ntst.com/ or call 1-800-421-7503.

About Netsmart Technologies, Inc.

Netsmart Technologies is an established, leading supplier of enterprise-wide software solutions for health and human services providers. More than 18,000 customer organizations, including 350,000 care providers and nearly 40 state systems, use Netsmart products to help improve the quality of life for millions of people each year.

Netsmart’s customers include mental health and substance abuse treatment agencies, psychiatric hospitals, private and group mental health practices, public health departments, vital records offices and managed care organizations. Netsmart’s products are full-featured information systems that operate on a variety of operating systems, hardware platforms, and mobile devices, and offer unlimited scalability.

Netsmart’s Connected Care initiative allows behavioral and public healthcare providers to share clinical data electronically within their internal processes, externally with other providers, and with consumers via a Web-based portal, enabling high quality, consumer-directed care.

Avatar is a trademark of Netsmart Technologies

Netsmart Technologies, Inc.

CONTACT: Dave Kishler of Netsmart Technologies, +1-614-932-6723,[email protected]

Web Site: http://www.ntst.com/

Eisai Corporation of North America has announced that the FDA has approved an efficacy supplemental biologics license application for Ontak solution for intravenous injection for the treatment of patients with persistent or recurrent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma whose malignant cells express the CD25 component of the interleukin receptor.

A separate efficacy supplement that included data from patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) whose malignant cells did not test positive for the CD25 component of the IL-2 receptor received a complete response letter.

The FDA’s action, following a priority review, marks the conversion of an accelerated approval indication to full approval and is based on data from a Phase III clinical trial that evaluated the overall efficacy and safety of Ontak in certain patients with CTCL.

Hajime Shimizu, chairman and CEO of Eisai, said: “The full approval of Ontak is in keeping with our human health care mission, to address the unmet medical needs of patients with CTCL. As an orphan drug indicated for a rare disease, Ontak has the potential to make a difference for this patient population.”

Natus Medical Incorporated today announced the product formerly known as BioMAP (Biological Marker of Auditory Processing) launched in November 2006 is now known as BioMARK. BioMARK is a software application for the Bio-logic Navigator Pro hearing diagnostic platform that was developed by the Company’s Bio-logic division in partnership with the Northwestern University Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory (1).

BioMARK is an objective neurophysiological test used to identify and assess auditory processing disorders associated with learning impairments in children. Studies conducted by researchers at Northwestern have shown that the BioMARK response in children 8-12 years of age is abnormal in as many as 30% of children who have been diagnosed with certain learning disabilities. Children with abnormal BioMARK responses who subsequently undergo auditory training typically show clinical improvement as well as changes in their BioMARK response after training is completed, objectively demonstrating that the training has had a beneficial impact on their speech processing skills.

More information on the research behind BioMARK may be found at the Northwestern University Neuroscience Laboratory website:

http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/brainvolts/projects/clin icaltechnology.php (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser’s address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

About Natus Medical Incorporated

Natus is a leading provider of healthcare products used for the screening, detection, treatment, monitoring and tracking of common medical ailments such as hearing impairment, neurological dysfunction, epilepsy, sleep disorders, and newborn care. Product offerings include computerized neurodiagnostic systems for audiology, neurology, polysomnography, and neonatology, as well as newborn care products such as hearing screening systems, phototherapy devices for the treatment of newborn jaundice, head-cooling products for the treatment of brain injury in newborns, and software systems for managing and tracking disorders and diseases for public health laboratories.

BioMARK (TM) and Navigator Pro (R) are trademarks of Natus Medical Incorporated.

Additional information about Natus Medical can be found at www.natus.com.

Reference:

(1) BioMARK was developed by Nina Kraus, Trent Nicol, Erika Skoe, and Steven Zecker at Northwestern University Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Evanston, IL

DREXEL, Mo., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ — AlburtyLab located here today released a comprehensive evaluation of the leading technologies and methods of pill dispensing in pharmacies. The study found that one of the leading forms of technology, utilizing air pressure to dispense drugs in its robot, exposes tens of thousands of pharmacy workers to unsafe levels of airborne drug agent particles.

The researchers call for federal health and environmental regulatory agencies to immediately study this issue.

“Certain types of robotic dispensing systems, specifically the McKesson/Parata RDS used in hundreds of retail pharmacies employ air pressure to dispense pills into prescription bottles, and pill dust is readily observed in the vicinity of these machines. This indicates that pharmacy workers are exposed to airborne drug particles when they use air pressure driven dispensers,” wrote the studies authors and principal investigators, David S. Alburty and Pamela S. Murowchick of AlburtyLab, Inc.

AlburtyLab, Inc., working with Inovatia http://www.inovatia.com/ and the University of Missouri Mass Spectrometry Facility completed a study in five retail pharmacies over 24-hour periods to determine concentration levels, size characteristics, and chemical properties of pill dust generated by three forms of dispensing 1) McKesson/Parata RDS Dispensing System which uses air pressure to eject pills into prescription bottles; 2) ScriptPro SP 200 Robotic Prescription Dispensing System which uses gravity; and 3) traditional manual counting.

These three forms of pill dispensing constitute approximately 97% of all forms of dispensing in pharmacies in the United States today.

“This study finds clear evidence that robotic dispensing machines that eject pills using air pressure, such as the McKesson/Parata RDS, expose retail pharmacy workers to airborne pharmaceutical agents. Furthermore, the concentrations and particle size ranges observed frequently exceed the levels that are considered safe under USEPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] Standards established for general particulate matter (i.e. non-drug agents),” wrote the authors of the study.

In 2004, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognized the potential for injury to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from exposure to hazardous drugs (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-165/#b). CDC issued a warning that hazardous drugs in the air or on work surfaces may cause skin rashes, infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, and possibly leukemia or other cancers. CDC estimated that the number of workers who may be exposed to hazardous drugs in all settings exceeds 5.5 million.

Additionally, particle mass concentrations in McKesson/Parata pharmacies frequently exceeded National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). While USEPA has not established general indoor air quality standards, studies performed by Professor William W. Nazaroff of U.C. Berkeley and others indicate that the likelihood of inhaling particles generated from an indoor source while working indoors are increased by a factor of up to 1,000 as compared with inhalation of particles from a similar source while outdoors. These studies indicate that workers in pharmacies operating in close proximity to machines generating airborne particles may be subject to a 1,000x risk of exposure as compared with NAAQS. The NAAQS regulate general particulate matter and do not establish safe limits for exposure to airborne drug agents.

The authors of the study have made a number of recommendations as a result of their findings.

“This study raises serious issues relative to exposure risks for workers in pharmacies using air pressure driven dispensing machines. It is critical that further studies be conducted by federal regulatory agencies. It is recommended that these studies assess risk, set guidelines for these types of machines, and establish procedures to monitor the health impact on pharmacy workers,” wrote the authors.

About AlburtyLab, Inc.

AlburtyLab is an independent laboratory located in Drexel, Missouri that serves the aerosol research, development, and instrumentation communities. AlburtyLab has conducted independent studies for a range of agencies and companies, including Boeing/US Navy, Boston Scientific, Northrop Grumman, US Postal Service, US Department of Homeland Security, and the US Army Research Laboratory.

Technical questions may be directed to Mr. Alburty at (816) 619-3374 or via email to [email protected].

This study was funded by one of the technologies reviewed in the evaluation, ScriptPro LLC of Mission, Kansas.

The Executive Summary and the final report can be found at http://www.alburtylab.com/

   Contact: Josh Fenton, The Fenton Group            Tel. 401-490-4888/401-497-0186            [email protected]  

AlburtyLab, Inc.

CONTACT: Josh Fenton of The Fenton Group, +1-401-490-4888,+1-401-497-0186, [email protected]

Web site: http://www.alburtylab.com/http://www.inovatia.com/