Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jul 1999
Source: PR Newswire
Copyright: 1999 PR Newswire
Author: Avitar, Inc.

AVITAR COMMENCES SHIPPING OF ORALSCREEN(TM) 

The First Oral Screening Test For Drugs Of Abuse

CANTON, Mass., July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Avitar, Inc., (Nasdaq: AVIT)
announced today that the Company has commenced shipping of its
OralScreen(TM) product, the first oral screening test for drugs of abuse.
The company first introduced OralScreen in April at the American
Occupational Health Conference and has been staffing its sales and marketing
team to support national product roll-out.  The "three-panel" OralScreen
product detects cocaine, opiates and marijuana.

"With the three-panel test, we plan to focus initial marketing efforts on
corporations, law enforcement agencies and correctional institutions, where
substance abuse testing programs are not only most in demand, but can result
in significant legal challenges and losses in productivity," said Peter P.
Phildius, chairman and chief executive officer of Avitar.  "However, we
anticipate a growing need for and interest in substance abuse screening in
schools and in professional athletics," he added.

Avitar is also developing an oral fluids based product that will cover the
five widely used drug screens in the estimated $1 billion-per-year substance
abuse testing market.  Currently, the majority of tests are urine-based and
are conducted off-site.  OralScreen offers the convenience of point-of-care
(on-site) testing and eliminates urine handling.

Avitar, Inc., designs, develops, manufactures and markets healthcare
products including a proprietary line of polyurethane wound care dressings
and rapid diagnostic test products.  The Company is focusing on the
development of oral fluids technology for detecting drugs of abuse.  For
more information, see Avitar's Web Page at (www.avitarinc.com).

This release contains forward looking statements that are subject to risks
and uncertainties, including the development of new applications, that are
detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.

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