FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2002

CONTACT:
Jennifer Palcher - HCEA
(404) 252-3663

ATLANTA - What's ahead for the healthcare exhibit marketing industry as a result of the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) draft Guidance on marketing practices, the PhRMA Code and the current state of FDA was a major focus of HCEA's 5th Healthcare Exhibit Marketing Summit, held January 23 in Arlington, VA. The Summit, which also addressed security risk assessments for healthcare meetings and conventions, brought together nearly 100 professionals from the healthcare exhibit marketing industry.

"Based on this meeting, I am looking forward to attending many more HCEA meetings," said one attendee. Participants in the event first heard from Lucy Rose of Lucy Rose and Associates, former head of the Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications (DDMAC) at the Food and Drug Administration, about the impact the PhRMA Code and the draft OIG Guidance have had on the industry during the last year. In the afternoon session, Sheilah Davis of Allied Intelligence spoke about identifying security needs for healthcare meetings, evaluating security resources and designing a security plan.

HCEA thanks the following companies who sponsored the 2003 Healthcare Exhibit Marketing Summit. Gold Sponsors for the event were Poretta & Orr, Inc.; Sho-Aids, Inc.; and Sparks Exhibits & Environments. President's Circle Sponsors were Czarnowski Exhibit Service Specialists, H.B. Stubbs Company, Impact Unlimited and Live Marketing.

HCEA is the only association solely dedicated to improving the effectiveness of all conventions, meetings and exhibitions for the healthcare industry. HCEA represents more than 700 member organizations involved in healthcare exhibitions and conventions.