Avitar Awarded Drugs-of-Abuse Testing Program for Michigan Department of Corrections

- Program Monitors 50,000 Parolees and Probationers Throughout the State -

May 08, 2001

CANTON, Mass., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Avitar, Inc. (Amex: - news) announced today that it has been awarded the sole source program to sell ORALscreen(TM) to the State of Michigan Department of Corrections (DOC). The program is for the purpose of testing parolees and probationers monitored by the division of Field Operations Administration (FOA) for abuse of illegal drugs.

``Michigan is the fifth and largest state corrections department to adopt ORALscreen as a method of testing in the last nine months. We are pleased to begin working with Michigan's DOC because of its reputation as one of the most innovative leaders in corrections services,'' said Peter P. Phildius, Avitar's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. ``The use of ORALscreen by the Michigan DOC demonstrates the value of this product to the parole and probation markets. With our success in this market, we are targeting several other corrections departments in large states in seeking additional conversions to ORALscreen in the future.''

``We are constantly re-evaluating our methods of substance abuse monitoring,'' stated Tom Combs, Special Program Manager in Field Operations Administration for the State of Michigan. ``We understand that using urine to check for drug abuse contains a number of issues such as sample substitution and adulteration, as well as the time and inconvenience of collection and processing. ORALscreen solves these problems and provides the people of Michigan an effective and quick method of monitoring drug abuse in parolees and probationers. ''We are currently implementing this program to monitor an estimated 50,000 parolees and probationers in the state. We are pleased to be the model for ORALscreen testing for the entire state of Michigan and anticipate other state agencies will adopt this process as well,`` added Combs.

ABOUT AVITAR

Avitar, Inc. (Amex: - news) headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, develops, manufactures and markets innovative medical devices based on proprietary core technologies for two distinctive markets: oral fluid diagnostics and customized polyurethane applications used in the wound dressing industry. Oral fluid diagnostics includes both the drugs-of-abuse testing market estimated to be worth $1.5 billion encompassing the corporate workplace and criminal justice markets and the $20 billion clinical diagnostics market. Avitar's products include ORALscreen(TM), the world's first non-invasive, rapid, onsite oral fluid test for drugs-of-abuse, and HAIRscreen(TM), a laboratory based hair test for detecting long-term drug abuse. Additionally, the company manufactures and markets HYDRASORB(TM), an absorbent topical dressing for moderate to heavy exudating wounds. In 2001, the company formed strategic partnerships with DIPRO Diagnostic Products GmbH, Pinkerton Security Group, and also acquired Texas-based BJR Security Service, a provider of canines trained to detect narcotics, explosives and firearms for markets that include education and the oil and petroleum industry.

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

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