News Release

U.S. PHARMACOPEIA and BAXTER HEALTHCARE CORPORATION ANNOUNCE JOINT MARKETING AGREEMENT TO PROMOTE USP's MedMARx^SM PROGRAM

Rockville, MD, and Deerfield, Ill., March 12, 2001 - Today the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) and Baxter Healthcare Corporation announced a co-exclusive agreement to promote and market MedMARx^SM (med-marks) to hospitals and health care systems across the country. MedMARx is an Internet-accessible, anonymous, nationally standardized database that allows hospitals to report, track, document, and analyze medication errors. The information generated by the MedMARx database contributes to the national agenda to reduce medication errors in hospitals by increasing health care professionals' awareness of medication errors and identifying areas for focusing on performance improvement strategies.

Under the marketing agreement, Baxter provides a national sales force to help place MedMARx in hospitals nationwide. Baxter also will develop and implement additional educational initiatives related to medication error prevention and reporting. USP will continue to operate and manage MedMARx, work directly with hospitals nationwide, analyze data, and make recommendations to reduce medication errors and promote patient safety.

"By engineering products that have built-in safeguards against medication errors, Baxter is continually looking for ways to lessen the inherent risks of medical treatment and help ensure that critical therapies are delivered safely," said David F. Drohan, corporate vice president and president of Baxter's global I.V. Systems/Medical Products business. "Joining with USP to nationally promote a standardized system for reporting, tracking and sharing data among clinicians to drive down medication errors is a natural fit with our long-standing commitment to patient safety."

"We are pleased that Baxter will assist USP in its attempt to reduce medication errors," said John T. Fowler, USP chief operating officer. "It is important that USP team up with a marketing partner that is nationally well known for its commitment to improving the medication use process in hospitals across the country and has strong marketing capabilities."

USP has been a leader in medication error reporting since 1991, when it began operating the Medication Errors Reporting Program (MERP) for the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. USP purchased the MERP in 1994. In 1995 USP founded the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (see www.nccmerp.org), and the Advisory Panel on Medication Errors in 1996. USP established the Safe Medicine Use Expert Committee in 2000, which is part of USP's Council of Experts.

Baxter has a long history of pioneering medication delivery products for ease-of-use to reduce the potential for operational error. Baxter provides a wide range of products and systems with safety features to protect patients before, during and after surgery.

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) a non-government organization -- establishes state-of-the-art standards to ensure the quality of medicines and other health care technologies. These standards are developed by a unique process of public involvement and are accepted worldwide. USP also helps to monitor quality and prevent errors in human and veterinary medicine through national reporting programs. USP is a not-for-profit organization that achieves its goals through the volunteer service of experts representing pharmacy, medicine, other health care professions, and science. For more information, visit www.usp.org.

Baxter Healthcare Corporation is the principal U.S. operating subsidiary of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX). Baxter International Inc. is a global medical products and services company that provides critical therapies for people with life-threatening conditions. Baxter's products and services in bioscience (biopharmaceuticals and blood collection, separation and storage devices), medication delivery and renal therapy are used by health care providers and their patients in more than 100 countries. Baxter's I.V. Systems/Medical Products business offers a single source for medication delivery products and services, including drug-delivery, intravenous solutions, sets, infusion pumps, parenteral nutrition products, anesthesia devices and pharmaceutical agents.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

	Media Contacts: Deb Spak, Baxter Healthcare Corporation (847) 948-2349 Sherrie Borden, U.S. Pharmacopeia (301) 816-8268