Verispan's Vector One(R): Payer Reveals Top 10 Drug Classes Impacted by Medicare Part D.

YARDLEY, Pa. -- Verispan's Vector One(R): Payer has identified the top 10 drug classes impacted by Medicare Part D in January 2006 compared to usage in these classes by those 65 and older in all of 2005. Classes whose utilization appears to be most affected by Part D include many of the most common therapeutic areas:

Top 10 drug classes impacted by Part D
  Total prescriptions (TRxs) filled by Part D participants (all ages)
  per class in Jan. 2006 compared to usage by 65+ population in 2005

                              Class Code     % TRxs     % Part D TRxs
                                             Age 65+     January 2006
                                              2005
----------------------------------------------------------------------
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhib.           32110      5.3%          5.4%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Beta-Blockers                      31410      5.5%          4.8%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ACE Inhibitors, Alone              31111      4.5%          4.2%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Calcium Blockers                   31300      4.2%          4.1%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Codeine & Comb. Non-Inj.           02232      2.9%          3.5%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Proton Pump Inhibitors             23420      2.5%          3.0%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Diuretics Non-Inj.           41230      2.9%          2.9%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Antidepressants SSRIs              64340      2.1%          2.7%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thyroid Synthetic                  72120      3.1%          2.7%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Seizure Disorders                  20200      1.5%          2.6%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Source:  Verispan's Vector One(R): National and Vector One(R):  Payer

Using Vector One(R): Payer, Verispan can measure the effect of Part D on individual drug classes and products not only at the national and state level, but also at the Part D payer level, namely Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans. The following chart shows the national effect of Part D by comparing the mix of payment types in December 2005 vs. January 2006.

December 2005 pay type mix compared to January 2006

  Pay Type      December 2005        January 2006
-----------------------------------------------------
Cash                11.6%                11.7%
-----------------------------------------------------
Medicaid            13.1%                10.4%
-----------------------------------------------------
Third Party         75.4%                73.4%
-----------------------------------------------------
Part D               NA                   4.5%
-----------------------------------------------------
Base:  TRxs      274,083,846           279,157,316
-----------------------------------------------------
Source:  Verispan's Vector One(R): Payer

The impact of Part D is constantly changing because enrollees increase each month. Therefore, the influence of Part D may change from month to month as enrollee mixes at individual Part D payers fluctuate. Clients of Vector One(R): Payer can track Part D through monthly deliverables available no later than the 25th of the next month, faster than any competing product.

Vector One(R): Payer is available as either a monthly or quarterly deliverable. The delivery vehicle can be flat files, Excel spreadsheets or through Verispan's unique Report Generator query tool.

For more information about Vector One(R): Payer or other Medicare Part D tracking strategies offered by Verispan, contact Betty Sanna at [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].

About Verispan

Verispan, a healthcare informatics joint venture of Quintiles Transnational Corp. and McKesson Corp., provides a broad array of information products and services to the healthcare industry, including sales targeting and compensation products; market research audits; healthcare profiles; comprehensive managed care offerings; primary market research; opinion leader mapping; data integration, warehousing and mining; data analysis and consulting; direct mail; list services; disease management studies; clinical trial investigator targeting and protocol recruitment evaluation; healthcare outcomes; and cost/benefit analyses, among many others. Verispan is also the nation's leading provider of patient-centric longitudinal data, with dozens of products used by clients spanning the industry.

Headquartered in Yardley, Pa., Verispan employs over 500 dedicated healthcare information professionals. The company's Web site is www.verispan.com.