Premier and Varian Medical Systems Announce an Equipment Supply Agreement for Cancer Treatment Systems | Varian

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Premier and Varian Medical Systems Announce an Equipment Supply Agreement for Cancer Treatment Systems

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--March 27, 2001--Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: VAR) and the group purchasing service, Premier Inc., today announced they have renewed a three-year agreement to supply Premier members with advanced radiotherapy systems for treating cancer. The renewable contract covers Varian's equipment and software for SmartBeam(TM) IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy), a new form of highly precise radiation therapy that targets cancer cells with high doses while minimizing the exposure of nearby healthy tissue.

Under the agreement, Premier will supply its members with access to Varian Medical Systems' full range of radiotherapy products. These products will also be available through Premier's e-commerce portal, Premier Exchange.

"Premier represents more than 200 of the nation's leading healthcare systems," said Karen Phillips, director of imaging, Premier, Inc. "Our member organizations are committed to providing the highest standard of patient care and to maintaining state-of-the-art capabilities. Our relationship with Varian offers an additional tool to help them deliver optimal care for cancer patients."

"This agreement with Premier renews a long-standing contract providing Premier members with contract pricing and group buying opportunities," said Timothy Guertin, president of Varian Medical Systems' oncology business. "IMRT has been shown to improve the outcomes in many forms of cancer treatment. This is an important mechanism for making the technology more widely accessible."

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. , (NYSE:VAR) of Palo Alto, California, is the world's leading manufacturer of integrated cancer therapy systems as well as X-ray tubes and flat-panel sensors for imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 2,400 people and reported sales of $690 million in its most recent fiscal year ended September 29, 2000. For more information, visit www.varian.com.

Premier, Inc., is a leading strategic alliance in U. S. healthcare owned by more than 200 of the nation's leading hospital and healthcare systems. Aggregately, these systems operate or are affiliated with more than 1,800 hospital facilities in 50 states. The Premier family of companies provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery. Among these resources are comprehensive supply chain management services, including group purchasing for more than $12 billion annually in supplies and equipment, with e-commerce enablement by medibuy. Premier is headquartered in San Diego, Calif. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.

This press release contains certain forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which provides a "safe harbor" for these types of statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of Varian Medical Systems, Inc. to differ materially from management's current expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, product demand and market acceptance risks; new product development and commercialization; the impact of managed care initiatives in the U.S. on capital expenditures and resulting pressures on medical equipment purchases; and other risks detailed in Varian Medical Systems, Inc. filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Varian Medical Systems, Inc. assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

CONTACT: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
Spencer Sias, 650/424-5782
spencer.sias@varian.com
Meryl Ginsberg, 650/424-6444
meryl.ginsberg@varian.com