ROCHESTER, MINN. -- The widely held view by third-party payers is that cancer clinical trials are much more expensive than standard treatment. In some cases, this view prevents patients from receiving life-saving treatment. On Tuesday, May 18, Mayo Clinic will announce results of a study that challenges this view.

Possibilities for broadcast and print news media include: a live satellite news conference with Steve Alberts, M.D., a Mayo Clinic oncologist and the study's principal investigator; b-roll that includes soundbites from the study's principal investigator and a patient's story; and a camera-ready illustration.

News Conference: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 - 10 a.m. CDT; Baldwin Building First Floor Lecture Hall; 200 Fourth Ave. S.W.; Rochester, Minn. News media should park in the Baldwin Building Parking Ramp and take the elevators to the first floor lecture hall.

Video and Audio Feed of News Conference: The news conference will be fed via video and audio feed on Tuesday, May 18, 1999, at 10 a.m. CDT.

Video and Audio Feed of B-roll, Soundbites and Animation: The b-roll and soundbites from the study's principal investigator and a patient will be fed via video and audio feed on Tuesday, May 18, 1999, immediately following the news conference.

Technical Information
Tuesday, May 18, 1999

10:30-11:00 a.m. (testing) (EDT)
9:30-10:00 a.m. (testing) (CDT)
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (EDT)
10:00-11:00 a.m. (CDT)
(News conference, interviews & b-roll)

SATELLITE TRANSMITTAL INFORMATION Ku-BandC-BandSatellite:Galaxy 7Galaxy 6Transponder:14 Lower (H)24 (V)Channel:5424Downlink Frequency:11,976.5 MHz4,180 MHzAudio:6.2 or 6.8 MHz6.2 or 6.8 MHzLongitude:91° W99° W

Technical questions prior to broadcast ONLY: 507-284-5964 (Mayo Clinic Video Communications)

Satellite technical difficulties: 800-333-0010 or 202-775-4300 (Diversified Communications, Inc.)

AUDIO BROADCAST INFORMATION

For "Listen Only" Access to News Conference, call: 800-811-2539, Participant code: 604664

Audio Broadcast Technical Difficulties: 888-232-0370 (AT&T)

Audio Questions Prior to Broadcast: 507-284-5964 (Mayo Clinic Video Communications)

TO CALL IN CONTENT QUESTIONS DURING THE NEWS CONFERENCE, CALL: 800-362-8351

Information for Journalists: A camera-ready illustration and the full news release will be available at Mayo Clinic's journalists' website at www.mayo.edu/news will be posted at 3 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, May 18.

To receive Mayo Clinic news releases by e-mail, send a message to [email protected]. Include your name, affiliation, and e-mail address. Mayo Clinic news releases are available on the Mayo Home Page, http://www.mayo.edu. Mayo Clinic health information is available on Mayo Clinic Health Oasis at http://www.mayohealth.org.