RBC Capital Markets to host healthcare conference

Keynote address by former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson

NEW YORK, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - With prospects for healthcare reform in the U.S. uncertain, investors are seeking clarity on the sector's future. To assist them, RBC Capital Markets is hosting its annual healthcare conference at the New York Palace Hotel in New York City on March 2-3, 2010, featuring presentations, updates and overviews from senior executives of more than 200 leading healthcare companies and organizations. Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson will provide keynote remarks focused on answering the question, "Innovation in Healthcare: What's Next?"

"The full spectrum of healthcare products and services is a $2 trillion-plus industry. With the present uncertainty surrounding healthcare reform, investors need help more than ever in understanding prospects in a highly complex and dynamic sector," said Kevin Davies, Managing Director and Head of Healthcare Investment Banking at RBC Capital Markets. "This conference will offer crucial insights from leading industry participants on opportunities in healthcare going forward."

In addition to presentations by individual companies, the conference will include more than 20 corporate panels organized and moderated by RBC's seasoned research staff and featuring senior executives from such top companies as Johnson and Johnson (JNJ), Celegene (CELG), Baxter (BAX), Genzyme (GENZ), Boston Scientific (BSX), Community Health Systems (CYH) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX). The themed panels include:

    -   New Targets in Cancer Therapy
    -   Institutional Pharmacy: Prospects for Growth in a Consolidated
        Industry
    -   Hospitals: Life With or Without Reform
    -   New Developments in Neurology
    -   Hospice: Opportunities for Growth in the Face of Potential
        Reimbursement Changes
    -   Same Day Surgery, Guaranteed

Panels also will focus on areas such as, post-acute care, bio-defense, specialty pharmaceuticals, behavioral health, skilled nursing, and combination therapies for cancer. Executives will address a variety of business topics including gearing up for launch, integrating acquisitions and leveraging sales and marketing for growth.

"Healthcare is an extraordinarily vibrant and rapidly changing industry, in which new products and services in such sectors as biotechnology, specialty pharmaceuticals, medical technology and healthcare services present both difficult challenges and rich opportunities," said Marc Harris, Co-Head of Global Research for RBC Capital Markets. "Investors and industry participants need to stay informed of developments in these evolving sectors and RBC's conference will help connect them with today's leading healthcare executives and analysts."

Keynote speaker Tommy Thompson served as Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2001 to 2005 and previously was the first four-term governor of Wisconsin. At HHS, Thompson led the Bush Administration's efforts to pass and implement the Medicare prescription drug benefit; reinvigorate the nation's public health infrastructure; and encourage Americans to lead healthier lifestyles. Thompson is currently a partner at the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he continues to develop innovative solutions to the healthcare challenges facing the nation.

About RBC Capital Markets

RBC Capital Markets is the corporate and investment banking arm of the Royal Bank of Canada (TSX: RY; NYSE: RY) and is active globally in debt and equity origination, sales and trading, foreign exchange, infrastructure finance, and structured products across a number of industry sectors. Its North American platform includes a significant U.S. investment banking franchise and leading equity and fixed income underwriting, sales, trading and research businesses.

SOURCE RBC