FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brian Shanahan MediSpin Inc. 646-452-1647 FAX: 212-255-9957 Email: bshanahan@medispin.com http://www.medispin.com MediSpin Inc. Receives NIMH Grant to Develop Assistive Internet Tools for Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (New York, NY; July 1, 2003) MediSpin Inc. has received a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant for $100,000 from the National Institutes of Mental Health to provide community physicians with an Internet-based tool in the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The SBIR program, a competitively awarded, three-phase Federal Government initiative, is designed to stimulate technological innovation and provide opportunities for small business. Since 2002, MediSpin has been awarded nearly $2 million in grants and contracts under the SBIR program. ADHD affects an estimated 3% to 5% of school-age children, and most of these children are evaluated and treated by primary care physicians. However, there is an important lack of standardization in the primary care evaluation process for problems related to attention and hyperactivity. In addition, managed care procedures promote short duration of visits, leading almost 40% of pediatricians in one survey to report that their biggest obstacle in treating children with ADHD was the amount of time required. "There is a clear need to develop cost-effective procedures that can assist primary care providers in incorporating empirically based evaluation and treatment protocols into their routine office practice." explained Brian Shanahan, CEO of MediSpin and Principal Investigator for this grant. "Partnering with Duke University Medical Center, we are developing an Internet-based software which will lead to individualized and more effective treatment of ADHD patients. Its features provide physician education about ADHD assessment and treatment; Web-based rating scales for parents and teachers; Web-based access to rating scales results for physicians; and remote consultation with ADHD specialists. No other Internet or desktop-based programs such as this is currently available. Thus, this program has strong commercial potential as it will be have wide applicability for physicians, pediatricians, family physicians and other healthcare practitioners who care for ADHD children." MediSpin is a multimedia medical communications company that specializes in development of interactive learning for healthcare professionals,consumers, and researchers. MediSpin produces online and offline symposia, eDetailing, CD-ROMs, educational software and databases, Web sites, video, and animations. Located in New York, its clients include pharmaceutical companies, online CME/CE content providers, leading medical centers, and the government. For more information, please contact Brian Shanahan at 646-452-1647. -END-