Three Million Additional Doses of Flu Vaccine Now Available to U.S. Doctors From Henry Schein, Inc.; CDC Bulletin Recommends Continued Vaccination
The Company also said that it has a special customer service phone number to help doctors and other health professionals who have recently not been able to get vaccine supplies to care for their patients.
"We have read news reports of spot shortages and shipment delays of flu vaccine in different parts of the country and we are committed to making sure this new inventory of vaccine is distributed quickly to doctors who need it," said Michael Racioppi, President of Henry Schein's Medical Group.
Doctors and other health officials who need to order flu vaccine can call 1-800-772-4346 and speak with a Henry Schein representative who will arrange to ship vaccine, or order online at www.henryschein.com, for arrival within 24 hours, Racioppi said.
To underscore the importance of flu vaccine to the nation's health at this time, Racioppi pointed to the CDC's "Influenza Vaccine Bulletin Number 10" issued Nov. 27, 2001. The document advises that "people who have not yet been immunized, particularly those at high risk of complications from influenza, should continue seeking vaccine in November, December, and beyond, until they are immunized. Practitioners and clinics should continue to offer vaccine, particularly to high-risk individuals, through December and beyond, as long as supplies last."
The additional doses are available as a result of Henry Schein's efforts to increase its supply of vaccine for this year and the future. Flu vaccine is difficult to make and having adequate inventories on hand nationwide has been a challenge for the vaccine industry. To obtain an increased supply of vaccine, Henry Schein entered into a multi-year agreement with its supplier, Evans Vaccines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PowderJect Pharmaceuticals Plc.
Henry Schein strictly followed the CDC's guidelines that chronic care facilities serving high-risk patients received priority shipments of vaccine, while workplace wellness programs were deferred until this month. As additional supplies became available, the Company reached out to all its customers to offer them the new supplies.
"Despite the supply challenges, we have been a consistent source of flu vaccine to our customers for several years. Our priority this year was to even further increase our source of flu vaccine supply," said Racioppi.
About Henry Schein, Inc.Henry Schein, Inc. is the largest distributor of healthcare products and services to office-based healthcare practitioners in the combined North American and European markets. Recognized for its excellent customer service and low prices, the Company serves more than 400,000 customers worldwide, including dental practices and laboratories, physician practices and veterinary clinics, as well as government and other institutions.
The Company operates its five business groups - Dental, Medical, Veterinary, International and Technology - through a centralized and automated distribution network, which provides customers in more than 125 countries with a comprehensive selection of over 80,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products. Henry Schein also offers a wide range of innovative value-added practice solutions, including such leading practice management software systems as DENTRIX(R) and Easy Dental(R), for dental practices, and AVImark(R) for veterinary clinics, which are installed in over 44,000 practices; and ArubA(R), Henry Schein's electronic catalog and ordering system. Headquartered in Melville, New York, Henry Schein employs over 6,500 people in 16 countries. The Company's 2000 sales reached a record $2.4 billion. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.
CONTACT: Henry Schein, Inc.
Steven Paladino, 631/843-5500
Susan Vassallo, 631/843-5562
Investor and Public Relations
svassa@henryschein.com
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