FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Ecstasy Test Manufacturer Says Nationwide Initiative Will Give Designer Drug Epidemic the Attention it Deserves KINDERHOOK, N.Y. -- Feb. 12, 2002 -- American Bio Medica Corporation (NASDAQ: ABMC) chairman and chief executive officer Gerald Moore today hailed the first national education campaign on Ecstasy by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America® as a "breakthrough initiative" in the war on drugs. The Partnership announced its Ecstasy initiative yesterday at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where it also released results of the Partnership Attitude Tracking Study that indicate Ecstasy use among teens is rising, while overall teen drug use remains stable. "Clearly, Ecstasy use should be a focal concern among parents and law enforcement officials, and I am pleased and encouraged that the Partnership for a Drug-Free America has given this issue priority attention," said Moore. According to the Partnership's national survey, drug use among adolescent Americans is stable between 2000 and 2001, with the lone exception of Ecstasy. More than 12 percent of teenagers in the US report having used the drug, representing a one-year increase of roughly 20 percent. Ecstasy (MDMA) has been categorized as a Schedule I drug, and there is no accepted medical use in the United States. The drug can cause brain damage, as it depletes serotonin, a chemical in the brain that regulates thinking processes, aggressive behavior, sensitivity to pain and other functions. It has also been linked to some fatalities. "The rapid rise in Ecstasy is strikingly similar to the country's experience with cocaine just one generation ago," said Stephen J. Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. "In many respects, Ecstasy has become the rave generation's cocaine." The Partnership campaign will include television and newsprint advertisements, which will appear nationwide, beginning this week. The organization has also established a toll-free information line - 1-866-XTC-FACTS - as well as Internet resources available at the Partnership web site - www.drugfreeamerica.com. ABMC announced it had received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration for its on-site drug test capable of identifying use of the illegal designer drug Ecstasy in December. Rapid One Ecstasy is a one-step immunoassay capable of detecting MDMA use at concentration levels of 1000 ng/mL in urine - the lowest cutoff concentrations of any approved on-site drug test. The FDA clearance allows ABMC to market Rapid One Ecstasy to clinical markets. "Our on-site test can play a very important role in the effort to curb Ecstasy abuse," said Moore. "We have the science to show when and where abuse takes place, which can help with getting the issue on the table, and ultimately lead people who abuse Ecstasy to treatment." About American Bio Medica Corporation American Bio Medica Corporation develops, manufactures and markets inexpensive, accurate, on-site drugs-of-abuse diagnostic kits, sprays and support services worldwide. The company's global distributors target the workplace, physicians, corrections, clinical, and educational markets. ABMC's Rapid Drug Screen® and OralStat6 test for the presence or absence of drugs of abuse in urine and saliva, respectively, while its Drug Detector identifies minute traces of illegal drugs on surfaces. ABMC was recently listed among the top ten biotechnology companies on the Deloitte & Touche 2001 Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the fastest growing companies in North America. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to
the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking
statements involve risk and uncertainties, including without
limitation, continued acceptance of the Company's products, increased
levels of competition for the Company, new products and technological
changes, intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from
time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact: American Bio Medica Corporation Stan Cipkowski, 800/227-1243 Fax, 518/758-8171 stan@americanbiomedica.com www.americanbiomedica.com |