SAFE-BioPharma to Explain Interoperable Identity Management and Secure Healthcare Electronic Communications at HIMSS09 Interoperability Showcase

FT. LEE, N.J. (April 2, 2009) – Improving interoperable identity management and secure electronic communications in the healthcare community using the SAFE-BioPharma™ digital identity and signature standard will be discussed during the annual HIMSS meeting, April 4-8, 2009 in Chicago.

The presentation will explain how the SAFE-BioPharma industry standard -- the only complete set of managed business and technical policies, procedures and agreements for digital signing and authentication in the global biopharmaceutical and healthcare communities -- is being used to meet challenges to secure and protect transactions in an electronic environment.

The session will take place 3:15PM – 3:45PM, Sunday, April 5 in Theater B. 

Included in the presentation will be the two following use cases:

• How identity management using the SAFE-BioPharma standard will help health information exchanges and public health workers in Minnesota simplify and accelerate the disease investigation process by providing fast and secure access to state disease records. The program, soon to be tested, involves the Centers for Disease Control  http://www.cdc.gov and MedNet.com http://www.mednetworld.com/

• How Premier, Inc. http://www.premierinc.com/, the nation’s largest group purchasing organization, is using SAFE-BioPharma digital signatures to sign new and amended contracts and eliminate overnight shipping, fax and related processes.

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About SAFE-BioPharma Association (www.safe-biopharma.org)
SAFE-BioPharma Association is the non-profit association that created and manages the SAFE-BioPharma™ digital identity and signature standard for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

The SAFE-BioPharma industry standard is used to mitigate legal, regulatory and other business risk associated with business-to-business and business-to-regulator electronic transactions. It facilitates interoperability by providing a secure, enforceable, and regulatory-compliant way to verify identities of parties involved in electronic transactions. SAFE-BioPharma’s vision is to be a catalyst in transforming the biopharmaceutical and healthcare communities to a fully electronic business environment by 2012.

The Association’s members include:

• Abbott (NYSE: ABT)
• Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN)
• AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN)
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY)
• GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK)
• Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ)
• Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY)
• Merck (NYSE:MRK)
• National Notary Association
• Organon (NYSE: SGP)
• Pfizer (NYSE: PFE)
• Premier Inc.
• Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG)
• Roche
• Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:SNY).

SAFE-BioPharma™ is a trademark of SAFE-BioPharma Association. Any use of this trademark requires approval from
SAFE-BioPharma Association.