Italian Ministry of Health Approves Clinical Study Evaluating the VeriChip Healthcare Application in Rome, Italy
Business Wire - April 26, 2004 08:37
Study To Begin at Instituto Nazionale Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital on April 26th
PALM BEACH, Fla., Apr 26, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- VeriChip Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Applied Digital Solutions (NASDAQ: ADSXD), announced today that the Italian Ministry of Health has approved a clinical study utilizing the VeriChip healthcare application, VeriMed(TM). The study will commence at the Instituto Nazionale Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital in Rome, Italy on April 26, 2004.
The principal investigator, Dr. Giorgio Antonucci, presented the study's protocol to the Italian Ministry of Health and has received approval to proceed. The study is designed to observe the VeriMed(TM) technology function during care provided to patients whose medical conditions impede conveying vital information to the hospital's medical staff. Patients will be given the opportunity to utilize the VeriMed(TM) technology to provide their personal identification information and recent medical history. Dr. Antonucci and his staff are expected to begin patient enrollment in the program immediately. It is anticipated that the objectives of the study will be realized in six months, at which time the findings will be presented to the Italian Ministry of Health.
Commenting on the Rome clinical study announcement, Richard Seelig, MD, Vice President of Medical Applications of the VeriChip Corporation stated, "We are pleased that the Ministry of Health of Italy and the prestigious Instituto Nazionale Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital have designed and approved a study to evaluate the VeriMed(TM) system's impact on improving the quality of care provided to their patients."
The logistics and technical support for the study in Rome are being provided by Biotronica SRL, a subsidiary of Fanara And Associates SRL, the exclusive VeriChip distributor for Italy.
About VeriChip(TM)
VeriChip is a miniaturized, radio frequency identification (RFID) device that can be used in a variety of security, financial, emergency identification and other applications. About the size of a grain of rice, each VeriChip product contains a unique verification number and will be available in several formats, some of which will be insertable under the skin. The verification number is captured by briefly passing a proprietary scanner over the VeriChip. A small amount of radio frequency energy passes from the scanner energizing the dormant VeriChip, which then emits a radio frequency signal transmitting the verification number. In October 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that VeriChip was not a regulated device with regard to its security, financial, personal identification/safety applications but that VeriChip's healthcare information applications are regulated by the FDA. VeriChip Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Applied Digital Solutions. For more information about VeriChip, visit
www.adsx.com.
About Applied Digital Solutions, Inc.
Applied Digital Solutions is an advanced technology development company that focuses on a range of life-enhancing, personal safeguard technologies, early warning alert systems, miniaturized power sources and security monitoring systems combined with the comprehensive data management services required to support them. Through its Advanced Technology Group, the company specializes in security-related data collection, value-added data intelligence and complex data delivery systems for a wide variety of end users including commercial operations, government agencies and consumers. Applied Digital Solutions is the beneficial owner of a majority position in Digital Angel Corporation (AMEX: DOC - News). For more information, visit the company's website at
http://www.adsx.com.
Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and the Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances.
SOURCE: VeriChip Corporation
CEOcast, Inc.
Ken Sgro, 212-732-4300
ksgro@ceocast.com
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