Also to fund development of new Arthritis Foundation book on joint surgery
WARSAW, Ind., Sep 25, 2002 --Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZMH) today announced a comprehensive sponsorship agreement with the Arthritis Foundation, strengthening its leadership position in orthopaedic medical education. The sponsorship agreement covers Arthritis Foundation outreach efforts through its web site and in publications.
Under the terms of the agreement, Zimmer will be the presenting sponsor of the Surgery Center on the Arthritis Foundation's web site, www.arthritis.org . The Surgery Center provides comprehensive information on joint surgery, often used as an option for people with arthritis. Zimmer also will help fund development of a new Arthritis Foundation book, "All You Need to Know About Joint Surgery," and an update of the Foundation's free Hip and Knee Surgery brochure.
"Zimmer is the acknowledged industry leader in professional medical education, and as patients have become more actively involved in their own arthritis treatment, we have expanded our range of direct-to-consumer offerings," said Zimmer Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Elliott. "In the Arthritis Foundation, we are partnering with an organization with more than 50 years of providing objective information about arthritis and how to manage it. Although surgery is just one of many treatment options available, for people who have advanced arthritis, surgery has proven to be very successful."
"By extending the reach of the Arthritis Foundation's programs and services such as the online Surgery Center, Zimmer shows its commitment to improving the lives of the one in six Americans living with a form of arthritis or a related condition," stated Tino Mantella, president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation.
One key area of focus for Zimmer is minimally invasive joint replacement, an emerging area where Zimmer has established a leadership position. The goals of minimally invasive procedures are to minimize the amount of time a patient is hospitalized and the time and pain involved in rehabilitation. A Zimmer website that provides information specifically about minimally invasive orthopaedics, www.pacewithlife.com , can be accessed from the Surgery Center area on the Arthritis Foundation website. Zimmer Patient education content is also available on www.zimmer.com .
"Our goal at Zimmer is to provide surgeons and patients access to the information they need to make important decisions about treatment options," said Elliott. "Physicians have seen us as a trusted resource for 75 years, and our support for the Arthritis Foundation will help provide even better resources for patients."
The Arthritis Foundation is the only nationwide, not-for-profit health organization helping people take greater control of arthritis by leading efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis and related diseases -- the nation's number one cause of disability. For free information, contact the Arthritis Foundation at 800-283-7800 or on the Web at www.arthritis.org.
Zimmer, based in Warsaw, Indiana, is a global leader in the design, development, manufacture and marketing of reconstructive orthopaedic implants and fracture management products. Orthopaedic reconstruction implants restore joint function lost due to disease or trauma in joints such as knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. Fracture management products are devices used primarily to reattach or stabilize damaged bone and tissue to support the body's natural healing process. Zimmer also manufactures and markets other products related to orthopaedic and general surgery. For the year 2001, Zimmer recorded worldwide revenues of approximately $1.2 billion. Zimmer was founded in 1927 and has more than 3,500 employees worldwide.
Visit Zimmer on the worldwide web at www.zimmer.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the orthopaedics industry, management's beliefs and assumptions made by management. Forward- looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "targets," "forecasts," and "seeks" or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, price and product competition, rapid technological development, demographic changes, dependence on new product development, the mix of our products and services, customer demand for our products and services, our ability to successfully integrate acquired companies, control of costs and expenses, our ability to form and implement alliances, international growth, U.S. and foreign government regulation, reimbursement levels from third-party payors, general industry and market conditions and growth rates and general domestic and international economic conditions including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by Zimmer with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Zimmer disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.