Smiths Medical is Awarded Premier Dialysis Catheter Contract.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Smiths Medical MD, Inc. was awarded a 3-year contract by Premier Purchasing Partners, LP to offer Smiths Medical TruFlow(R) Hemodialysis Catheters to nearly 200 Premier hospitals and health care systems comprised of more than 1,500 hospital facilities in the United States.

Renal (kidney) failure affects more than 2 out of 1,000 people in the United States every year. With diabetes and hypertension as the two leading causes of renal failure, it is growing at a rate between 7 and 9 percent per year. Patients with renal failure must undergo dialysis treatments several times a week where their blood is circulated through a dialysis machine where harmful toxins are removed. The patient's blood can be sent to the dialysis machine through a graft, fistula, or catheter.

TruFlow(R) hemodialysis catheters are surgically inserted into a patient's jugular or subclavian vein, with a portion left outside the body for easy access when undergoing dialysis treatments. The catheters are made of carbothane and tecothane polyurethane materials that are resistant to breakdown from betadine and alcohol, designed to reduce kinking and provide stability during implant. TruFlow(R) catheter high radiopacity aids in confirming catheter tip placement, and a large inner diameter (ID) allows for optimal flow rates. The catheters are available in a variety of sizes for short- or long-term hemodialysis therapies.

Smiths Medical MD, Inc. is a world leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of medical devices used in infusion therapy, including PORT-A-CATH(R), P.A.S. PORT(R), and ProPort(R) implantable access systems; GRIPPER PLUS(R) safety huber needles; TruFlow(R) dialysis and CliniCath(R) PICC infusion catheters; CADD(R) ambulatory infusion pumps; the CozMore(TM) insulin technology system; and large volume infusion pumps. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, 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 or call 1-800-426-2448.

Premier, Inc. is a strategic alliance in U.S healthcare, comprising of nearly 200 of the nation's leading hospital and health care systems. These systems operate or are affiliated with more than 1,500 hospital facilities and hundreds of other care sites. Premier provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery, including group purchasing for more than $17 billion annually in supplies and equipment. Other resources offered by Premier are insurance programs and performance improvement services of many kinds. Premier is headquartered in San Diego, California with other major facilities in Chicago, Illinois and Charlotte, North Carolina.