Press Release from Schering-Plough

Peg-Intron Access Assurance Programs Ends; Patient Assistance Program
Schering Corporation is pleased to announce that as of February 18,
2003, the PEG-INTRON® Access Assurance program has been eliminated.

Patients will now be able to take their prescriptions for PEG-
INTRON®
(peginterferon alfa-2b) Powder for Injection directly to their
pharmacy to be filled. Patients will no longer need to contact the
Access Assurance program first to receive an Access Assurance ID
number.

The PEG-INTRON® Access Assurance program was implemented in October
2001 in anticipation of unprecedented patient demand temporarily
affecting the supply of PEG-INTRON®. Schering Corporation designed
the Access Assurance program to ensure that individual patients who
begin treatment with PEG-INTRON® have uninterrupted access to a full
course of therapy, regardless of possible fluctuations in demand for
the product.

Schering-Plough has made major investments to increase PEG-INTRON®
production capacity at its manufacturing facility in Ireland, as
well
as in manufacturing facilities in Europe and Singapore. This
increased production capacity enables us to end the Access Assurance
program at this time.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of two unique
programs that provide support to hepatitis C patients. The "Be In
Charge" program provides support service for hepatitis B patients
and
hepatitis C patients whose physicians have prescribed Schering
products. This program is free of charge and includes toll-free
phone access to a nurse counselor 24/7, along with support group
referrals and other treatment information. To reach a nurse
counselor or to enroll in the program, patients can call 1-888-437-
2608.

Schering also sponsors the "Commitment to Care" program, which helps
patients identify and access insurance coverage, and provides free
Schering products for qualifying patients in the United States. In
2002, the market value of this assistance and treatment, provided to
more than 25,000 hepatitis C patients, was more than $100 million.
To register for the "Commitment to Care" program, patients can call
toll free to 1-800-521-7157.

Patients can also go to the following website for more information
about the elimination of the Access Assurance program:

http://www.access-assurance.com/