MEDIA ADVISORY:
Satellite News Conference
B-roll, soundbites and audio bites (for radio) available

NOTE: Dr. Hensrud has very limited availability for follow-up media interviews.

ROCHESTER, MINN. -- New Mayo Clinic research shows that people with mild heart valve disease who took the diet drugs fenfluramine and phentermine may improve after they stop taking the drugs. The report is published in the

December issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. "These new findings should be reassuring for those Americans who took fen-phen," says primary author Donald Hensrud, M.D., a Mayo Clinic physician nutrition specialist. "For the first time, we have evidence that heart valve damage -- at least in people with mild disease -- may not be permanent."

In July of 1997, Mayo Clinic and MeritCare, a clinic based in Fargo, N.D., first reported a clinical observation of unusual heart valve disease in 24 patients who had taken fen-phen. Reports of other cases soon followed. Data provided to the FDA showed that up to 30 percent of diet-drug users may have heart valve abnormalities even though they have no symptoms. Based on this information, the makers of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine voluntarily withdrew the drugs from the market on Sept. 15, 1997.

Who: Dr. Donald Hensrud
Mayo Clinic physician nutrition specialist

When: Tues., Nov. 30, 1999
12:30 p.m. CST

Where: Baldwin 1st Floor Lecture Hall
200 Fourth Ave. SW, Rochester, MN
News media should park in the Baldwin Building Parking Ramp and take elevator to 1st Floor Lecture Hall.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Tues., Nov. 30, 1999
Fen-phen feed

Eastern
Test: 13:00-13:30
Program: 13:30-14:30

Central
Test: 12:00-12:30
Program: 12:30-13:30

Satellite Coordinates

Ku-Band:
Satellite: Galaxy 7
Transponder: 14 Lower (H)
Channel: 54
Downlink Frequency:
11976 MHz Audio: 6.2 or 6.8 MHz
Longitude: 91� W

C-Band:
Galaxy 6
Transponder: 22 (V)
Channel: 22
Downlink Frequency: 4140 MHz
Audio: 6.2 or 6.8 MHz
Longitude: 99� 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.)

To call in questions during the news conference, please call: 1-800-362-8351

Audio Broadcast Information (Audio sound bites)

For voice actualities or "listen only" access to news conference, call: 1-888-622-5357, Participant code: 686506

International Access call: 1-505-242-2204, Participant code: 686506

Audio broadcast technical difficulties: 1-800-232-1234 (AT&T)

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

John Murphy
507-538-1385 (days)

Shelly Plutowski
507-284-2417 (days)
507-284-2511 (evenings)
e-mail: newsbureau@mayo.edu