Avitar, Inc. Promotes Michael J. DeFeo to Vice President of Marketing

March 19, 2001

CANTON, Mass., March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Avitar, Inc. (Amex: - news) announced today that Michael J. DeFeo, 39, has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing from his current position of Director of Marketing. Mr. DeFeo will assume the additional duties of managing the company's strategic initiatives and investor relations as well as continue to direct the worldwide marketing programs for Avitar's diagnostics products.

``During his tenure at Avitar, Mike has played a significant role in the development of the company's strategic direction and continues to display significant skills and abilities that will contribute to the future of the company and it's products,'' stated Peter P. Phildius, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. ``As we continue to grow, we are presented with strategic opportunities to promote the business and Mike's experience will provide us the ability to capitalize on these prospects.''

Mr. DeFeo has over 10 years of sales and marketing experience in the diagnostics industry. In June 1999, Mr. DeFeo joined Avitar as the Director of Marketing where he has been involved in strategic planning for marketing and the development and launching of the company's drugs-of-abuse products including the world's first rapid, point-of-collection, oral fluid drug test, ORALscreen(TM). Mr. DeFeo was formerly a Marketing Manager, Laboratory Systems at Elan Diagnostics and has held product management and sales positions with Chiron Diagnostics, Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur and Bio-Rad Diagnostics.

Avitar, Inc. (Amex: - news) headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, develops, manufactures and markets innovative medical devices based on core technologies in oral fluid diagnostics and customized polyurethane applications. The company markets a unique portfolio of substance abuse testing products and services that includes ORALscreen(TM), the world's first rapid point-of- collection oral fluid test for drugs of abuse, ORALadvantage(TM), the first comprehensive substance abuse program featuring Avitar's oral fluid-based products, HAIRscreen(TM), a laboratory-based test for detecting long term drug abuse using hair, and several other specialized tests for drugs of abuse. ORALscreen is a cost-effective drugs-of-abuse test with potential net cost savings of more than $100.00 per sample tested. Additional products include an oral fluid collection system for DNA testing as well as a proprietary line of polyurethane-based high tech medical devices. Avitar is also a provider of substance abuse detection services and drug education programs.

    For more information, see Avitar's website at avitarinc.com.