Covance and NAFC Sponsor Free Medical Clinic for More Than 1,200 Patients in Dallas, Texas

PRINCETON, N.J., and DALLAS, Oct. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Covance Inc. (NYSE: CVD), a global leader of drug development services, partnered with the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) to bring an all-day C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) free clinic and medical care to more than 1,200 uninsured patients from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Thirty-one Covance volunteers, including doctors, nurses, clinical and administrative staff from its company locations across the United States, including its Dallas Phase I clinic, joined more than a thousand other local volunteers in coordinating care and treatment for patients at the Dallas Convention Center on Saturday, September 29.

Approximately 900 prescriptions were written to patients, and more than 50 pairs of eyeglasses were provided, mostly to children who had never had vision exams. In addition to an initial examination, patients received point-of-care testing, including electrocardiograms (ECGs), cholesterol blood tests, glucose testing and other diagnostic examinations. Many were treated for chronic conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension.

In addition to the various medical services, patients received free 90-day, mail-order prescriptions. At the end of the clinic, patients were connected with free and charitable clinics in Texas for their follow-up-care appointments.

"Medical care is a critical need in our country today, and is largely unmet because so many people do not have health insurance," said NAFC Executive Director Nicole Lamoureux. "Our C.A.R.E. clinics are funded entirely by sponsors and private citizens, and not one tax dollar is used to pay for them. Thanks to companies like Covance, we are able to provide preventive, primary medical care to these people and connect them to the area's safety-net providers, as well as other available community resources."

According to the NAFC, Texas has the highest rate of uninsured people in the U.S., with approximately 26 percent of residents, many of whom are children, without health insurance. The percentage of uninsured people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is approximately the same.

"We brought our mission of caring for the people in the communities where we live and work. This effort demonstrated the true spirit of giving and volunteerism among our employees. We came together united with a common purpose – using our medical and clinical skills and expertise to benefit those who needed critical care," said Nigel Brown, Corporate Vice President, Business Development and Strategy, and one of the Covance executives who volunteered at the event. "It was rewarding to see how our efforts made a difference in the Dallas community."

About Covance
Covance, with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, is one of the world's largest and most comprehensive drug development services companies with annual revenues greater than $2 billion, global operations in more than 30 countries, and more than 11,000 employees worldwide. Information on Covance's products and services, recent press releases, and SEC filings can be obtained through its website at www.covance.com

About the NAFC
The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics is the only nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of more than 1,200 free and charitable clinics and the people they serve in the United States.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is an effective advocate for the issues and concerns of free and charitable clinics, their volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians and other healthcare professionals, as well as the patients served by free and charitable clinics in communities throughout the nation. For more information, go to: www.nafcclinics.org.

SOURCE Covance Inc.