-Caveat Lector-

Hi all.
Below is details of the deal with Bayer to provide the antibiotic cipro,
published by US Dept of HHS.
Gary.


Date:     Thu, 25 Oct 2001 00:02:35 -0400
Sender:   "US Dept of HHS: Press Releases, Other Info" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From:     Automatic digest processor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject:  HHSPRESS Digest - 23 Oct 2001 to 24 Oct 2001 (#2001-184)
To:       Recipients of HHSPRESS digests <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

There are 2 messages totalling 266 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEDLINE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEDLINEPLUS
  2. HHS PRESS RELEASE--HHS, BAYER AGREE TO CIPRO PURCHASE

>>first story re: medline deleted

--MMPWVLHMAOIHHcddTWObBRACBKFKXd
Date:    Wed, 24 Oct 2001 14:56:25 -0400
From:    "Henneghan, Martha (HHS/OS)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: HHS PRESS RELEASE--HHS, BAYER AGREE TO CIPRO PURCHASE

Date:  October 24, 2001
For Release:  Immediately
Contact:  HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
Bayer Corporation
(203) 812-6439

Headline:  HHS, BAYER AGREE TO CIPRO PURCHASE

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and Mr. Helge H. Wehmeier, president and CEO
of the Bayer Corporation, today announced agreement for a significant new
federal purchase of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (trademarked Cipro) at a
substantially lowered price.  The antibiotic is expected to be available by
year end.  Supplementing existing emergency stockpiles, it would be
available for use in the event of a bioterror event.

Under the terms of the agreement valued at $95 million, HHS will pay 95
cents per tablet for a total initial order of 100 million tablets.  This
compares with a previously discounted price of $1.77 per tablet paid by the
federal government.  Bayer said it will rotate the government's inventory,
as part of this agreement, to assure the American public a continuously
fresh supply of Cipro.  This inventory rotation adds an additional value of
30 percent for the government, which is included in the agreement.

Funds for the purchase are included in the $1.6 billion emergency proposal
made by President Bush Oct. 17, which awaits Congressional action.  HHS is
also carrying out substantial new purchases of other antibiotics that are
effective against anthrax, especially doxycycline.

The purchases will fulfill Secretary Thompson's proposal to quickly increase
the nation's emergency reserve of antibiotics.  Resources to be on hand by
January would treat up to 12 million persons immediately for anthrax
exposure.  Treatment would be with a mixture of effective antibiotic
products, with Cipro representing about 10 percent of the antibiotics on
reserve.  Currently, 18.6 million Cipro doses are available in the nation's
emergency reserve, which would enable immediate treatment of about 2 million
persons in combination with other antibiotics.

"This agreement means that a much larger supply of this important
pharmaceutical product will be available if needed," Secretary Thompson
said.  "The beneficial price also means that we can have more funds
available to assist state and local health responders to be ready for all
eventualities.  I commend the Bayer Corporation for its ongoing efforts to
ensure a fully adequate supply of this valuable product."

"Bayer is fully committed to supplying America in its war on bioterrorism.
This agreement between Bayer and the Department of Health and Human Services
is an important security measure that will enable the nation to have in its
stockpile ample supplies of Cipro to combat the threat of anthrax," said
Bayer president Wehmeier.  "Cipro has become standard for anthrax treatment.
The men and women of Bayer are 100 percent committed to delivering this
vital antibiotic to the U.S. government on schedule."

Secretary Thompson said current supplies of Cipro and other antibiotics
which are effective against anthrax "are entirely adequate to meet the
current need.  This purchase is aimed at expanding our emergency stand-by
capacity, to make us even better prepared for the possibility of massive
exposure to anthrax or other biological agents."

As a further contingency, the agreement provides for the option of a second
order of 100 million tablets at 85 cents, and a third order at 75 cents, if
it is determined that further orders are needed.

Cipro is one of many antibiotics that have been found effective in the
treatment of exposure to anthrax in the incidents in recent weeks.  Current
treatment practice for anthrax exposure, including those possibly exposed to
anthrax, is a 60-day course, involving initial use of a broad spectrum
antibiotic like Cipro, for five days, followed by determination of other
antibiotics to which the pathogen is susceptible.

The Cipro to be purchased would be used to expand emergency stand-by
supplies in the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPS), maintained by HHS'
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The NPS includes both vendor
managed inventory and 50-ton "Push Packages," designed to be able to reach
any point in the continental United States within 12 hours.  The current
eight "Push Packages" are to be expanded to 12, under the President's
proposals.

"It's important to remember that other antibiotics maintained as part of the
national emergency reserve have been found to work against the strains of
anthrax that have been used in the attacks in Florida, New York, New Jersey
and Washington, D.C.," Secretary Thompson said

Secretary Thompson told a House of Representatives committee yesterday that
CDC would be aggressive in recommending preventive treatment for anyone with
a likelihood of having been exposed to anthrax.  However, he also cautioned
Americans again against taking antibiotics when they do not have the
likelihood of exposure to anthrax.

"Widespread, unnecessary use of antibiotics can only do harm," Secretary
Thompson said. "Antibiotics can have side effects, including a few serious
side effects in the case of the more powerful products.  Furthermore,
antibiotics can become less effective against disease if they are used
inappropriately.  These are important and powerful health products that need
to be prescribed by a physician."

He called on physicians in particular to follow recommendations of the
Public Health Service, the American Medical Association and other major
medical authorities on use of antibiotics, and to explain the situation to
patients inappropriately seeking antibiotic prescriptions.



###

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are
available at www.hhs.gov/news.

--MMPWVLHMAOIHHcddTWObBRACBKFKXd--

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