Valleylab and Premier, Inc. Form Three-Year Group Purchasing
Alliance

BOULDER, Colo. – Oct. 6, 2004 – Valleylab, a business unit of Tyco Healthcare Group LP, today announced that it has entered into two three-year group purchasing agreements with Premier, Inc, a strategic healthcare alliance. Under these agreements, Premier will incorporate Valleylab electrosurgical pencils, EDGE™ coated blade electrodes, and the OptiMumm™ smoke evacuation system, along with the CUSA EXcel™ ultrasonic surgical aspirator from Radionics, into its product offerings for member hospitals. Premier members will benefit by being able to buy Valleylab’s safe, high quality electrosurgical devices at a savings generated by participating in a group purchasing organization.

Effective through Aug. 31, 2007, these agreements offer superior value to Premier members who purchase Valleylab products. In addition, hospitals who participate in Valleylab’s Full Circuit™ system standardization program by buying all of their electrosurgical equipment from Valleylab qualify for even greater discounts, along with an unsurpassed service and support plan.

“We are pleased to partner with Premier, Inc. to offer innovative electrosurgical products to Premier member hospitals,” said Scott Drake, president of Valleylab. “Working together, we will be able to provide our customers with superior service and competitive pricing, while improving patient safety and enhancing clinical outcomes.”

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.

Valleylab, a business unit of Tyco Healthcare Group LP, is the leader in the innovation and manufacture of advanced energy-based medical systems, including a complete line of electrosurgical generators, accessories, and disposable products, a vessel sealing system, patient return electrodes, argon-enhanced electrosurgery systems, laparoscopic instruments, radiofrequency treatment systems, and smoke evacuation devices.

Tyco Healthcare is a leading manufacturer, distributor, and servicer of medical devices worldwide. Its broad portfolio includes disposable medical supplies, monitoring equipment, medical instruments, and bulk analgesic pharmaceuticals, sold under such names as Auto Suture, Kendall, Mallinckrodt, Nellcor, Puritan Bennett, Sherwood, United States Surgical, Syneture, Valleylab, and others.