DIGE Digene Corp (MM)

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH) announced its endorsement of routine HPV testing of women age 30 and over as part of cervical cancer prevention, along with an initiative to educate the medical community and patients, said Digene Corp. (NASDAQ:DIGE). HPV is the cause of cervical cancer, and Digene markets the only FDA-approved HPV test, The Digene(R) HPV Test, which detects high-risk types of the virus. NPWH "is taking the lead in educating the broader medical community, including nurses, by speaking out on this issue," the group said in its announcement yesterday. The NPWH is also the first national group to call for broad, routine patient education about HPV and its link to cervical cancer. The NPWH statement, endorsing the use of HPV testing along with a Pap, echoed guidelines issued previously by leading medical groups, including the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP), American Cancer Society, and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). "Nurse practitioners are an integral part of the patient-care team in a clinical practice, and play an influential role in maintaining the highest standard of care for their patients," said Douglas White, Digene's Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing - Americas and Asia Pacific. "The NPWH endorsement of HPV screening for cervical cancer prevention illustrates the growing acceptance of HPV testing in the medical community. All women should expect to have access to the best available technologies in cervical cancer prevention, and the NPWH's call for broad education on HPV will play a significant role in making that goal possible." About Digene A leader in molecular diagnostics, Digene develops, manufactures and markets proprietary DNA and RNA tests, with a focus on women's health. The company's flagship product, the Digene(R) HPV Test, is the only FDA-approved and CE-marked test for the human papillomavirus, the cause of essentially all cervical cancers. Digene's product portfolio also includes tests for the detection of other sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia and gonorrhea. Digene tests are marketed in more than 40 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Digene is traded on NASDAQ under the symbol DIGE. For more information, visit http://www.digene.com/ and http://www.thehpvtest.com/. DATASOURCE: Digene Corp. CONTACT: Investors: Albert Fleury, +1-301-944-7000, or Media: Shelley Ducker, +1-301-944-7610, both of Digene Web site: http://www.digene.com/ http://www.thehpvtest.com/

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