2001 Wyeth-Ayerst HERA AWARD Winners to be Announced at NMHCC's Disease Management Congress.

Business/Technology Editors & Health/Medical Writers

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 3, 2001

Actress/Supermodel and Women's Health Advocate Lauren Hutton to

Present Awards Recognizing Improvement

of Women's and Children's Health 

The National Managed Health Care Congress (NMHCC) and Wyeth-Ayerst will unveil the winners of the Wyeth-Ayerst HERA AWARD during the Sixth Annual Disease Management Congress at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston this October. The HERA AWARD is given to organizations and individuals who have made a difference in the lives of women and children by implementing key health programs that result in quantifiable outcomes improvement. Actress/supermodel and women's health advocate Lauren Hutton will present the awards during the opening plenary session on Tuesday, October 23 at 8:00 a.m.

Now in its sixth year, the HERA AWARD has brought important recognition to organizations and groups that have implemented programs or projects in such key areas as pediatric asthma, immunization, AIDS and breast cancer. While diverse, these programs share a common goal: improving and protecting the health and well-being of women and children.

The 2001 Wyeth-Ayerst HERA AWARD gold, silver and bronze winners will be recognized in two separate categories - health plans and providers - for a total of six awards. Previous award winners in the health plans category include Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisville, KY, for prenatal HIV testing; Aetna U.S. Healthcare of Blue Bell, PA, for a breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility screening program; and Arizona Physicians IPA, Inc. of Phoenix, AZ, for increasing the immunization rate of Medicaid children age zero to two.

Previous award winners in the providers category include: Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center of Bakersfield, CA, for life style choices related to diet and exercise for high school students that can lead to type 2 diabetes; LA County Dept. of Health Services, Office of Women's Health of Los Angeles, CA, for awareness that cervical cancer is preventable; and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs - Women Veterans Health Programs of Washington, DC, for administration and provision of service for women.

"We are looking forward to recognizing those organizations and providers who have demonstrated leadership in women's and children's health as they serve as an inspiration and example for us all," said Joseph M. Mahady, President, Wyeth-Ayerst, North America. "Through these awards, we hope to heighten awareness of the issues affecting the lives of women and children."

About Wyeth-Ayerst

Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, a division of American Home Products Corporation (NYSE: AHP), is a major research-oriented pharmaceutical company with leading products in the areas of women's health care, cardiovascular disease therapies, central nervous system drugs, anti-inflammatory agents, infectious disease, hemophilia, oncology, vaccines and generic pharmaceuticals. American Home Products is one of the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical and health care products companies. It is a leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. It is also a leader in vaccines, biotechnology, and animal health care.

About the Sixth Annual Disease Management Congress

The Disease Management Congress and Exposition is the nation's leading forum dedicated to providing a comprehensive examination of the latest disease management initiatives and programs. The event is focused on harnessing the latest tools and technologies to measure and prove successful outcomes, as well as strategies to improve patient quality of care while managing costs. The congress will feature programs for chronic disease states including oncology, behavioral health, pain management, cardiovascular, asthma and diabetes. In addition, a series of comprehensive workshops and symposia are offered. Delegates can evaluate the latest disease management products and services at the Exposition, which features more than 80 exhibiting companies. The Disease Management Congress takes place October 22-24 at the Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA.

About NMHCC

The National Managed Health Care Congress (NMHCC) is the leading provider of strategic business and advanced clinical information and education for the health care industry, producing cutting-edge conferences and expositions that address the full range of critical issues facing the industry today. The company's mission is to increase the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care delivery through the identification and presentation of case studies and best practices in managing health care and to provide the best opportunity for decision makers (purchasers, payors, providers and suppliers) to assess the latest products, programs and services from the leading companies serving the health care market. Additional information about NMHCC can be found at www.nmhcc.org or by calling [phone].