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

Arlington, VA (January 20, 2004) — Senior health care purchasing executives and supply chain professionals will gather with a renowned faculty at the Health Industry Group Purchasing Association’s (HIGPA) 2004 National Pharmacy Forum, scheduled for February 9-11 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey, California, to debate critical issues facing pharmaceutical supply chain businesses that will shape the future of the health care system.

The emphasis of this year’s Forum is on safety issues surrounding the pharmaceutical supply chain. The specific topics that will be discussed include the impact on the supply chain regarding increased financial pressures on providers, a federal health care policy update, and patient safety and worker safety strategies. Additionally, attendees will be given an opportunity to hear timely discussions on importation and counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and an update on the business practice ethics of the industry. The many outstanding speakers lined-up for the 2004 Forum include several prominent scholars, hospital pharmacy executives, and expert legal counsels in the health care regulatory field.

“HIGPA is pleased to continue to offer a forum for networking and education among buyers, manufacturers and suppliers of pharmaceuticals in 2004. Health care executives will find this year’s forum extremely beneficial as the industry deals with the increased scrutiny from the press, lawmakers and citizens concerning supply chain safety issues,” said HIGPA President and CEO Robert Betz, Ph.D.

HIGPA’s 2004 National Pharmacy Forum’s sponsors include Silver Sponsor SICOR, Inc. SICOR Inc. is a vertically integrated, multinational pharmaceutical company that focuses on generic finished dosage injectable pharmaceuticals, active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, and generic biopharmaceuticals. Using internal research and development capabilities, together with operational flexibility and manufacturing and regulatory expertise, SICOR is able to take a wide variety of products from the laboratory to the worldwide market.

HIGPA is a chartered trade association of over 175 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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