Madrid Conference to Discuss EUR 30 Billion Problem of Healthcare Fraud and Corruption

The 3rd annual European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Conference
will be held in Madrid this October. The conference looks at the
problems faced by Europe in respect of fraud and corruption in
healthcare and how the problem can be solved by working together.

Organised by the European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network
(EHFCN), it follows the successful conferences held in London and
Bratislava in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

In Bratislava last year, the conference agreed the EHFCN's first
constitution. It meant the creation of the first-ever office dedicated
to tackling healthcare fraud and corruption across Europe. This
not-for-profit organisation and centre of excellence is the heart of
the EHFCN and co-ordinates its activities.

In attendance this year will be leading figures from healthcare
and law enforcement agencies from all over Europe and the world.
Speakers include Jaclyn Zappacosta, Legal Attache at the FBI's
Healthcare Fraud Unit and Dora Akumyili of Nigeria's National Food
Agency for Food and Drugs Administration. Press packs, including an
agenda, are available at http://www.ehfcn.org/index.asp?

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Venue: The Melia Castilla Hotel
Capitan Haya 43
28020 Madrid

Timing: 10/11 October 2006
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Jim Gee, Director General of the EHFCN, said:

"Each year, somewhere between 3% and 10% of the annual GDP of
every European country is spent on healthcare. This means that around
EUR 1 trillion is spent every year treating the sick and saving lives.
Experience - both in Europe and the United States - indicates that at
least 3% of public and private sector resources are lost to fraud.
This would mean that a minimum of EUR 30 billion of expenditure on
healthcare in Europe is lost to fraud and corruption every year - an
appalling situation which deprives millions of people of a proper
standard of healthcare.

"The European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network, and its
annual conference, represent an excellent opportunity to strike back
at the fraudster and make significant reductions in losses to fraud
and corruption. The 2006 conference will be even bigger than in 2005.
It is the next step in our campaign to protect European healthcare
systems, so that they can protect the health of the people of Europe."

The media are invited to attend the entire conference and/or the
press conferences held at 11:30am on Monday 9 October 2006 and 13:00pm
on Wednesday 11 October 2006 in the Escudo Room at the hotel.

Notes to Editors

1. The EHFCN's primary objective is reducing fraud and corruption
in healthcare throughout Europe. Counter fraud and counter corruption
healthcare organisations from across Europe are members of the EHFCN.