VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Sep 19, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) today responded to a
Wall Street Journal story reporting that the Company is the focus of
an investigation by the FDA and FBI.
The Company said that although it has had no contact from the
government regarding such an investigation since the spring of 2001,
the article probably refers to an investigation in which a customer
illegally resold merchandise bought from AmerisourceBergen.
Prior to any government contact, AmerisourceBergen Corporation
concluded that the customer in question had demonstrated suspicious
behavior, and the Company discontinued doing business with the account
in February 2000. After being contacted by the government, the Company
cooperated fully with the government, and will continue to do so.
At no time did AmerisourceBergen knowingly sell pharmaceutical
products to a customer who resold discount priced pharmaceuticals in
violation of agreements with manufacturers to purchase the
pharmaceuticals solely for its own use. Also, at no time did
AmerisourceBergen knowingly purchase pharmaceuticals that had been
illegally resold.
The facts in the Bindley Western case mentioned in the Journal
article are different than the referenced investigation of
AmerisourceBergen.
R. David Yost, Chief Executive Officer of AmerisourceBergen, had
these comments regarding the article. "The article implies that
AmerisourceBergen somehow participated in an illegal scheme to garner
rebates from manufacturers, multiple times on the same product. Such
inference is absolutely not true, as will undoubtedly be demonstrated
in a thorough investigation."
Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call and web cast to discuss
the article at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on September 19, 2003.
Participating in the conference call will be: R. David Yost, Chief
Executive Officer; Kurt J. Hilzinger, President and Chief Operating
Officer; and Michael D. DiCandilo, Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer.
To access the live conference call via telephone:
Dial in: (800) 230-1059 from inside the U.S., no access code
required or (612) 332-0632 from outside the U.S., no access code
required.
To access the live webcast:
Go to the Quarterly Webcasts section on the Investor Relations
page at http://www.amerisourcebergen.com.
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) is the largest pharmaceutical
services company in the United States dedicated solely to the
pharmaceutical supply chain. It is the leading distributor of
pharmaceutical products and services to the hospital systems/acute
care market, physician's offices, alternate care and mail order
facilities, independent community pharmacies, and regional chain
pharmacies. The Company is also a leader in the institutional pharmacy
marketplace. With more than $40 billion in annualized operating
revenue, AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and
employs more than 13,000 people. 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. Forward-looking statements may include statements
addressing future financial and operating results of AmerisourceBergen
and the benefits and other aspects of the 2001 merger between
AmeriSource Health Corporation and Bergen Brunswig Corporation.
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 relationships; customer insolvencies; changes in customer
mix; changes in pharmaceutical manufacturers' pricing and distribution
policies; regulatory changes; changes in U.S. government policies;
failure to integrate the businesses of AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig
successfully; failure to obtain and retain expected synergies from the
merger of AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig; and other economic,
business, competitive, regulatory and/or operational factors affecting
the business of AmerisourceBergen generally.
More detailed information about these factors is set forth in
AmerisourceBergen's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2002.
AmerisourceBergen is under no obligation to (and expressly
disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter any forward-looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
SOURCE: AmerisourceBergen Corporation
AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Valley Forge
Michael N. Kilpatric, 610-727-7118
mkilpatric@amerisourcebergen.com