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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn Hickey
Phone: 703-243-9262

Arlington, VA (February 26, 2003) - This past year the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee opened a hearing in April 2002 challenging the group purchasing industry to adopt a Code of Conduct within ninety days and implement those principles within a year. In partnership with its group purchasing organization (GPO) members, the Health Industry Group Purchasing Association (HIGPA) met that challenge. HIGPA unanimously adopted a historic industry-wide Code of Conduct that sets forth key principles for individual GPOs to embrace and incorporate into their internal business practices. Following the adoption of the Code of Conduct, HIGPA developed an initiative to ensure that its members coordinated their business practices to come into compliance with the industry-wide Code. In the near future, HIGPA will distribute the compliance survey to its GPO members. HIGPA will report to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust upon receiving its GPO members' responses to the compliance survey.

The Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee's recent announcement of their 2003 agenda highlights their continued interest in the GPO industry. HIGPA welcomes the Subcommittee's review of the implementation and effectiveness of the newly adopted reforms and looks forward to our continued cooperation with Sens. Kohl and DeWine. HIGPA believes that the Subcommittee will find its GPO members to engage in the highest ethical business standards of all those practicing health care group purchasing.

HIGPA challenges the entire health care supply chain to join the Association's members in demonstrating the highest ethical practices, assuring patients access to the best products at the best price.

HIGPA is a chartered trade association of approximately 170 health care purchasing and supply chain organizations. HIGPA's Industry Members include purchasing groups, associations, and health care provider alliances. HIGPA's Trading Partner members include many of the world's leading health care product manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and related suppliers. According to a recent study conducted by a former principal analyst at the Congressional Budget Office, hospitals save patients over $30 billion each year by purchasing products through group contracts.

To learn more about HIGPA or the group purchasing industry, visit www.higpa.org or call 703-243-9262.

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