W. L. Gore & Associates Launches the "Ultimate SAAAVE" Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Awareness Campaign

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (February 12, 2007) - W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) announced today the launch of its "Ultimate SAAAVE" Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Awareness Campaign, a new Gore-sponsored initiative in conjunction with the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) intended to raise awareness of the disease and a new Medicare AAA screening benefit. This year-long, multi-faceted campaign will combine Public Service Announcements (PSAs), broadcast and print interviews, multi-media resources, conference presentations, and other elements.

Each year approximately 200,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with AAA, the swelling or ballooning of the abdominal aorta. When AAA is not treated it can lead to rupture, which is the 13th leading cause of death in the U.S. As of January 1, 2007, Medicare began offering a free, one-time, ultrasound screening benefit to check for AAA in qualified seniors linked to their "Welcome to Medicare Physical Exam." This benefit became law as a result of the Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act and covers men ages 65 to 75 who have a history of smoking, and men and women age 65 to 75 who have a family history of AAA. Gore was a member of the SVS-led coalition that initiated the SAAAVE Act.

To help educate the public about this silent killer, Gore's "Ultimate SAAAVE" AAA Awareness Campaign will feature "Miracle on Ice" US hockey team goalie and gold medalist Jim Craig to urge those who have smoked, are over the age of 65, or have a family history of AAA to understand the causes, symptoms and available treatments for AAA and take advantage of the new reimbursement available to qualified patients enrolling in the Medicare system.

"The SVS is pleased to join Gore in this important, national public awareness campaign," said K. Craig Kent, MD, president of the SVS. "Vascular health is moving to the forefront of public attention and an increasingly educated public has questions about the medical treatment and benefit options available to them. Awareness programs, such as Gore's Ultimate SAAAVE campaign, are helpful to disseminate information so patients can make informed decisions about vascular disease."

"We are pleased to work closely on this initiative with the SVS membership and Jim Craig, who bring passion and enthusiasm to this cause," said John Sininger, Leader of the Medical Products Division at Gore. "Through the Ultimate SAAAVE campaign, Gore is committed to raising awareness of this very treatable disease, so that more cases of AAA will be detected early with a simple screening."

As part of the campaign, Gore recently launched its AAA Patient Information site intended as a resource with information about the causes, symptoms and available treatments for AAA. The site, www.goremedical.com/aneurysm/patient, guides visitors through a rich, television-like experience that addresses questions and concerns commonly raised by those affected by AAA.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY FOR VASCULAR SURGERY

The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) is a not-for-profit medical society that seeks to advance excellence and innovation in vascular health through education, advocacy, research and public awareness. SVS is the national advocate for 2,400 vascular surgeons dedicated to the prevention and cure of vascular disease. For information on vascular disease and patient information, please visit www.vascularweb.org.

ABOUT W.L. GORE & ASSOCIATES

The Gore Medical Products Division has provided creative therapeutic solutions to complex medical problems for three decades. During that time, more than 23 million innovative Gore Medical Devices have been implanted, saving and improving the quality of lives worldwide. The extensive Gore Medical family of products includes vascular grafts, endovascular and interventional devices, surgical meshes for hernia repair and sutures for use in vascular, cardiac and general surgery. For more information, please visit: www.goremedical.com.

CONTACT

Erik Clausen or Shannon Murphy
Schwartz Communications, Inc. for GORE
781-608-7091 or 415-817-2541
GoreMedical@schwartz-pr.com