Baxter, APIC Join Needlestick Safety Alliance.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2003

The National Alliance for the Primary Prevention of Sharps Injuries (NAPPSI), founded by Venetec International, today announced the addition of two new members:

-- Baxter Healthcare, a global healthcare company that provides

therapies for complex medical conditions such as cancer,

hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease and trauma.

-- The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and

Epidemiology (APIC), a multi-disciplinary, voluntary

international organization dedicated to improving healthcare

through the practice and management of infection control and

application of epidemiology.

"We are honored to attract members of this stature," said Steve Bierman, M.D., NAPPSI's president and the CEO and medical director of Venetec International. "Baxter Healthcare is an elite company in the private healthcare sector, and APIC is a widely respected leader in the field of infection control. Their participation in NAPPSI demonstrates the tremendous progress we've made in protecting healthcare workers through the primary prevention of sharps injuries."

Primary prevention means utilizing technologies that reduce or eliminate the need to use sharp medical implements. In contrast, secondary prevention renders safer those sharps that must be introduced into the healthcare workplace. NAPPSI supports both approaches -- that is, using primary prevention wherever possible, and secondary prevention to fill in the gaps.

Baxter Healthcare, based in Deerfield, Ill., is a global leader in developing innovative medical therapies that improve the quality of life for people around the world. Founded in 1931, the company's history is rich with medical firsts, from the first commercially manufactured intravenous solutions to the first portable kidney dialysis machine. As one of the company's three businesses, Baxter's Medication Delivery unit offers a wide range of products, including premixed medications and drug reconstitution systems; infusion pumps and devices used to administer IV medications to patients; nutrition products and equipment for mixing IV nutrition; anesthetics and delivery systems used in surgery and critical care settings; and oncology products. The leading manufacturer of IV solutions worldwide, Baxter provides medication delivery products that promote efficiency, are easy-to-use, and help clinicians enhance patient safety.

Baxter's Clearlink Luer-activated IV administration sets and devices represent Baxter's commitment to enhancing patient and healthcare workers' safety through the use of needleless access devices. The Clearlink Luer-activated valve provides needleless access to IV tubing and catheters without the need for add-on components such as blunt plastic cannulae. Unique to Clearlink are the clear housing and dual-seal design -- safety features that help minimize risks for the patient and the healthcare worker. Clearlink is also available with Venetec International's StatLock IV Plus catheter securement device, in a combination that provides healthcare workers with primary prevention on both ends of the catheter line.

"At Baxter, we are committed to facilitating the best medical care in the world through delivery of safety, convenience, versatility, and value across many sites of care," said Steve Price, Baxter senior marketing manager. "Baxter's portfolio of medication delivery products reflects our commitment to safety and responsive technology, products, and services. Primary prevention is at the foundation of all we do."

APIC was founded as the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control in 1972 to help address the need for a systematic approach to controlling infections acquired in hospitals. In 1994, the name was changed to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, to acknowledge the organization's expansion into the study of non-infectious adverse outcomes and healthcare's growing movement into settings besides hospitals. APIC is based in Washington, D.C.

"The goals of APIC and NAPPSI are very much in alignment," said Barbara M. Soule RN, MPA, CIC, the president of APIC. "The scope of infection prevention and control practices across the healthcare continuum includes protection for both patients and healthcare workers. Needlesticks and other sharps injuries pose a significant and serious safety hazard for workers who provide direct patient care or who work in environmental settings where there is potential for needlesticks. Infection control professionals work closely with occupational health specialists, nurses, physicians and support staff to design, implement and monitor processes to maximize safety and minimize the risk of needlesticks and other sharps injuries."

Based in Carlsbad, Calif., NAPPSI is a non-profit organization dedicated to minimizing sharps injuries in the healthcare workplace. NAPPSI promotes primary prevention as the first line of defense for accomplishing this goal.

NAPPSI utilizes its monthly e-mail newsletter, a national speaker's bureau, public relations, and other activities to inform the media, decisionmakers, and clinicians about the value of primary prevention practices and products. NAPPSI's Clinician Advisory on healthcare worker safety and the organization's Needlestick Safety Device List -- which categorizes safety products as either primary or secondary prevention -- are widely disseminated by governmental and clinician organizations.

NAPPSI membership is free to individual clinicians. The organization's membership encompasses professional associations, more than 1,000 individual healthcare professionals, and medical device makers.

Other NAPPSI organizational members are:

-- Venetec International, www.Venetec.com, 800/833-3895;

-- Cell Robotics International (OTCBB: CRII),

www.CellRobotics.com, 505/343-1131;

-- Bioject Medical Technologies (NASDAQ:BJCT), www.Bioject.com,

503/639-7221;

-- ICU Medical (NASDAQ:ICUI), www.ICUmed.com, 800/824-7890;

-- ALARIS Medical Systems, Inc. (AMEX: AMI), www.alarismed.com,

858/458-7000;

-- Calypte Biomedical, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALY), www.Calypte.com,

877/CALYPTE (225-9783);

-- Arrow International (NASDAQ: ARRO), www.arrowintl.com,

800/233-3187;

-- B. Braun Medical, www.BBraunusa.com, 610/691-5400;

-- National Association of Residents and Interns,

www.NARI-assn.com, 800/221-2168 ext. 5;

-- D'Antonio Consultants International, Inc.,

www.dantonioconsultants.com, 315/463-4999;

-- Helping Hands Sanctuary of Idaho, Inc.,

www.healthcaretraining.org, 208/221-1611;

-- Association of Needle-Free Injection Manufacturers (ANIFM),

315/463-4999;

-- Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA),

www.HIDAnetwork.com, 703/549-4432;

-- ETHICON Inc., www.EthiconInc.com, 908/218-2783;

-- Abbott Laboratories, www.abbotthosp.com, 800/222-6883;

-- The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in

Healthcare (AOHP), www.aohp.org/aohp, 412/749-7328;

-- BD, Inc. (Becton Dickinson) (NYSE: BDX), www.bd.com,

201/847-6800;

-- The Infusion Nurses Society (INS), www.INS1.org; 781/440-9408;

-- The National Association of Vascular Access Networks (NAVAN),

www.navannet.org, 888-57-NAVAN (888/576-2826);

-- The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN),

www.aacn.org, 800/899-2226;

-- Canadian Intravenous Nurses Association (CINA),

www.csotcina.com, 416/445-4516;

-- Phlebotomy West, www.phlebotomywest.com, 925/240-0770;

-- Cook Incorporated, www.cookgroup.com, 800/457-4500;

-- Portex, Inc., www.portexusa.com, 603/352-3812;

-- Hema Metrics, Inc., www.hemametrics.com, 800/546-5463;

-- Antares Pharma, www.antarespharma.com, 610/458-6200;

-- HDC Corp., www.hdccorp.com, 408/942-7340;

-- Porex Medical Products, Inc., www.porex.com, 800/520-7999;

-- Bard Access Systems, Inc., www.bardaccess.com, 801/595-0700;

-- Infection Control Today, www.infectioncontroltoday.com,

480/990-1101;

-- The International Association of EMT's and Paramedics (IAEP),

www.iaep.org, 617/376-0220;

-- The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN),

www.aorn.org, 800/755-2676;

-- Medi-Flex, Inc., www.medi-flex.com, 800/523-0502;

-- American Association of Occupational Health Nurses

(AAOHN),:www.aaohn.org, 770/455-7271;

-- Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON), www.apon.org,

847/375-4854.

For NAPPSI membership and other information, call 858/350-8623, email [e-mail], or access www.NAPPSI.org.