Premier Signs 3-year Catheter Contract with Smiths Medical.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Smiths Medical MD, Inc. announced today that it has signed a 3-year multi-source contract with Premier Purchasing Partners, LP to offer Smiths Medical CliniCath(R) PICC and Midline catheters to its nearly 1,500 hospital alternate site healthcare members.

CliniCath(R)

PolyFlow(R) PICC and midline catheters were first introduced in July 2000 for use in a wide variety of short- and long-term I.V. infusion therapies. CliniCath(R) catheters have high radiopacity, allowing easy catheter tip verification using x-ray or fluoroscopy. In addition, CliniCath(R) catheters are made of PolyFlow(R) polyurethane, which allows a small outer diameter for less vessel trauma and a large inner diameter for greater flow rates than the same size of comparable silicone catheters. Polyurethane catheters are also firm when outside the body for ease of insertion, and soft at body temperature.

"We are pleased to enhance our relationship with Premier and this agreement is timed perfectly as we launch our new Piccolo(TM) ultrasound system that assists clinicians in placing PICC lines into vascular areas," said Jeanette Bousquet, Vice President of Sales at Smiths Medical.

Smiths Medical MD, Inc. is a world leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of medical devices used in infusion therapy, including ambulatory infusion pumps, large volume infusion pumps, implantable access systems, dialysis and infusion catheters, needles, and insulin delivery systems. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., Smiths Medical MD (Medication Delivery) is part of Smiths Group plc, London, and is committed to developing the highest quality, most reliable products to provide innovative, convenient, and cost-effective drug delivery worldwide. For more information, visit www.smiths-medical.com.

About Premier, Inc.

Premier, Inc., is a strategic alliance in U.S. healthcare, entirely owned by nearly 200 of the nation's leading hospital and healthcare systems. These systems operate or are affiliated with nearly 1,500 hospital facilities in 50 states and hundreds of other care sites. Premier provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery in the key areas of supply chain improvement and group purchasing, comparative data and benchmarking, and insurance. Premier is headquartered in San Diego, CA, with offices in Chicago, IL; and Charlotte, NC. Advocacy and policy offices are located in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.