OraSure Applauds CDC's Expected Call for Routine HIV Testing Nationwide; CDC to Issue Revised HIV Testing Guidelines Recommending Routine HIV Testing

BETHLEHEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2006--OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSUR), the market leader in oral fluid diagnostics and the manufacturer of the OraQuick(R) ADVANCE(TM) Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test, today issued a statement in support of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) plans to issue revised HIV testing guidelines that call for voluntary HIV testing as part of routine medical care, for all Americans ages 13 to 64 - regardless of their perceived risk-factor. The CDC expects to officially release the guidelines this summer, according to a report in today's issue of the Wall Street Journal.

The CDC's guidelines are expected to specifically impact emergency departments and labor and delivery units in hospitals, as well as other points of care including physicians' offices and clinics. According to the CDC, when people learn that they are HIV positive and are undergoing counseling, studies show that the number of new infections from risky behavior decreases significantly.

"OraSure is committed to helping stop this epidemic, which affects more than one million people in the United States, of whom approximately one-third do not know their HIV status," said Douglas A. Michels, President and Chief Executive Officer of OraSure Technologies. "The availability of rapid testing with tests like OraQuick(R) ADVANCE(TM) will enable more people to learn their HIV status and seek treatment sooner. We applaud the CDC's efforts to ensure that everyone knows their HIV status and we believe these guidelines will provide yet another reason for hospitals and other health care facilities to either launch new rapid HIV testing programs or increase their use of rapid tests. We look forward to working with the CDC to help implement these new recommendations."

Earlier this year, President Bush in his State of the Union address called for a nationwide effort to deliver rapid HIV tests to millions of people in order to help stem the tide of HIV/AIDS. He has proposed to direct more than $90 million for the purchase and distribution of rapid HIV test kits in order to facilitate testing of more than three million people. OraSure believes this initiative, in conjunction with the CDC's new testing guidelines, further confirms the federal government's commitment to purchasing a test like OraQuick(R) ADVANCE(TM) as part of its HIV/AIDS strategy.

OraQuick(R) ADVANCE(TM) is the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments Act of 1988) waived rapid point-of-care test that can detect antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 in 20 minutes, using oral fluid, finger-stick or venipuncture whole blood or plasma specimens. The CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have effectively deployed over one million OraQuick(R) tests in various public health, drug treatment and outreach settings throughout the country. OraQuick(R) is also used by hospitals, state departments of health, clinics, community-based organizations, and college/university health centers throughout the country.

About OraSure Technologies

OraSure Technologies develops, manufactures and markets oral fluid specimen collection devices using proprietary oral fluid technologies, diagnostic products including immunoassays and other in vitro diagnostic tests, and other medical devices. These products are sold in the United States as well as internationally to various clinical laboratories, hospitals, clinics, community-based organizations and other public health organizations, distributors, government agencies, physicians' offices, and commercial and industrial entities.

OraSure Technologies is the leading supplier of oral fluid collection devices and assays to the life insurance industry and public health markets for the detection of antibodies to HIV. In addition, the Company supplies oral fluid testing solutions for drugs of abuse testing. For more information on the Company, please go to www.orasure.com.

CONTACT: OraSure Technologies, Inc.
Investor Contact:
Ronald H. Spair, 610-882-1820
Investorinfo@orasure.com
www.orasure.com
or
Media Contact:
Jennifer Moritz, 917-748-4006
jmoritz@0to5.com

SOURCE: OraSure Technologies, Inc.