AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) today announced that on August 25, 2007 at 12:01 a.m. EDT the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reinstated its Orlando Distribution Center’s license to distribute controlled substances. The distribution center immediately resumed shipment of controlled substances to its customers. The license was suspended in April 2007, because DEA alleged that the distribution center had not maintained effective controls against diversion of controlled substances by retail internet pharmacies. During the suspension, the Company provided the products to its customers from another distribution center.
As part of the agreement leading to the reinstatement, AmerisourceBergen implemented an enhanced and more sophisticated order monitoring program in all AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation distribution centers starting July 1, 2007, after which the Company passed several DEA inspections of the new program.
The Company expects the new order monitoring program to quickly become the industry standard as it requires more rapid identification and daily reporting of orders that may indicate diversion of controlled substances. In some instances, it includes halting the shipment of orders that require further investigation by the Company. The monitoring program also requires a more rigorous examination process before the delivery of controlled substances to newly signed customers.
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical services companies serving the United States, Canada and selected global markets. Servicing both pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers in the pharmaceutical supply channel, the Company provides drug distribution and related services designed to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. AmerisourceBergen's service solutions range from pharmacy automation and pharmaceutical packaging to reimbursement and pharmaceutical consulting services. With more than $64 billion in annual revenue, AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs more than 11,500 people. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #29 on the Fortune 500 list. For more information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements: competitive pressures; the loss of one or more key customer or supplier relationships; customer defaults or insolvencies; changes in customer mix; supplier defaults or insolvencies; changes in pharmaceutical manufacturers' pricing and distribution policies or practices; adverse resolution of any contract or other disputes with customers (including departments and agencies of the U.S. Government) or suppliers; regulatory changes (including increased government regulation of the pharmaceutical supply channel); government enforcement initiatives (including (i) the imposition of increased obligations upon pharmaceutical distributors to detect and prevent suspicious orders of controlled substances (ii) the commencement of further administrative actions by the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration seeking to suspend or revoke the license of any of the Company’s distribution facilities to distribute controlled substances, or (iii) the commencement of any enforcement actions by any U.S. Attorney alleging violation of laws and regulations regarding diversion of controlled substances and suspicious order monitoring); changes in U.S. government policies (including reimbursement changes arising from federal legislation, including the Medicare Modernization Act and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005); changes in regulatory or clinical medical guidelines and/or reimbursement practices for the pharmaceuticals we distribute; price inflation in branded pharmaceuticals and price deflation in generics; the inability of the Company to successfully complete any transaction that the Company may wish to pursue from time to time; fluctuations in market interest rates; operational or control issues arising from the Company’s outsourcing of information technology activities; success of integration, restructuring or systems initiatives; fluctuations in the U.S. dollar - Canadian dollar exchange rate and other foreign exchange rates; economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory developments in Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere outside of the United States; acquisition of businesses that do not perform as we expect or that are difficult for us to integrate or control; changes in tax legislation or adverse resolution of challenges to our tax positions; and other economic, business, competitive, legal, tax, regulatory and/or operational factors affecting the business of the Company generally. Certain additional factors that management believes could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements are set forth (i) in Item 1A (Risk Factors) in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 and elsewhere in that report and (ii) in other reports filed by the Company pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Contacts:
Michael N. Kilpatric, 610-727-7118
mkilpatric@amerisourcebergen.com
