News Release

BAXTER ANNOUNCES APPROVAL OF 25mL PRESENTATION OF DILTIAZEM HYDROCHLORIDE for INJECTION

Deerfield, Ill., April 30, 2002 -- Baxter Healthcare Corporation, has announced approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Diltiazem Hydrochloride for Injection in a new 5mg/25mL presentation. Diltiazem HCl is a generic version of the Aventis product, Cardizem (diltiazem HCl). The new presentation expands Baxter's current portfolio of diltiazem products, which includes 5mg/mL 5mL vial and 5mg/ml 10mL vial presentations.

"By offering a 25mL presentation of diltiazem, Baxter can better meet our customers' needs and demands for more options. The new presentation also enables us to be more competitive by offering a wider range of product presentations," said Bill Simmons, vice president of marketing. "The expanded offering further demonstrates our commitment to become the complete anesthesia provider, serving hospitals' entire anesthesia and critical care pharmaceutical needs." Baxter is one of only two companies offering the 25mL vial presentation of diltiazem.

Baxter's Anesthesia & Critical Care business develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products for anesthesia and critical care. Pharmaceutical products marketed by Anesthesia & Critical Care include the inhalation anesthetics Suprane (desflurane, USP) and Forane (isoflurane, USP), Brevibloc (esmolol HCl) Injection in vials and Brevibloc Premixed Injection (esmolol HCl in sodium chloride), Revex (nalmefene HCl) and one of the most comprehensive lines of multisource injectables, including propofol injectable emulsion 1 percent.

Baxter Healthcare Corporation is the principal US operating subsidiary of Baxter International Inc. Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) is a global health-care company that, through its subsidiaries, provides critical therapies for people with life-threatening conditions. Baxter's bioscience, medication delivery and renal products and services are used to treat patients with some of the most challenging medical conditions including cancer, hemophilia, immune deficiencies, infectious diseases, kidney disease and trauma.

(Baxter, Brevibloc, Brevibloc Premixed, Forane and Suprane are trademarks of Baxter International Inc. Revex is a trademark of Ivax Laboratories, Inc. Cardizem is a trademark of Aventis S.A. or one of its affiliates.)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

	Media Contact: Deborah Spak, 847-948-2349