Press Releases

ATLANTA 2009/10/16 -The American Cancer Society and Free & Clear today announced a strategic business collaboration that will combine the legendary brand reach of the world’s leading voluntary health organization with the technical strength of the industry leader in tobacco cessation coaching. The collaboration will more efficiently and effectively help tobacco users nationwide access evidence-based tobacco cessation services. The combination of the former American Cancer Society Quitline with Free & Clear’s commercially offered Quit For Life® Program will provide one single best-in-class telephone-based coaching and Web-based learning support service to tobacco users who want to quit.

The two organizations will co-brand and jointly promote tobacco cessation services by offering the Quit For Life Program to tobacco users through employers, health plans and state public health agencies. Under the terms of the collaboration, Free & Clear will apply 25 years of industry leading operational expertise and clinical experience to handle all cessation service delivery, promotional support, account management and reporting. The American Cancer Society will continue to build broad public awareness of the scientific relationship between tobacco use and chronic disease, while also actively promoting the cessation coaching service. During and following the transition, existing American Cancer Society Quitline clients can expect business as usual with no interruptions in service. Together, the two organizations currently serve more than 400 states, employers and health plans, allowing them to help an estimated 500,000 or more tobacco users per year.

“For decades, the American Cancer Society has been leading the fight to reduce tobacco use and limit secondhand smoke exposure,” said John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., chief executive officer, American Cancer Society. “And we’re so proud that for the past nine years our own Quitline service has allowed us to directly help more than 500,000 smokers try and quit. After an extensive evaluation of our business model and the costs associated with maintaining a leadership position in a competitive marketplace, we recognized that collaborating with the industry leader Free & Clear would enable us to provide even more leadership and maximize resources. Through this collaboration, we can invest more in our complementary efforts to save lives and create a world with more birthdays by helping people stay well, by helping people get well, by finding cures and fighting back.”

“Together, our two organizations are a formidable force against tobacco use, one of the most prevalent unhealthy behaviors leading to cancer, debilitating chronic disease and early death,” said Tim Kilgallon, president and chief executive officer, Free & Clear. “This collaboration enables each organization to focus on what it does exceedingly well: the American Cancer Society fighting tobacco domestically and globally through prevention and awareness, and Free & Clear helping individuals gain the knowledge and skills they need to overcome dependence on tobacco.”

In addition to collaborating on cessation services, the two organizations will also work together on new product innovations, international market expansion opportunities, scientific research opportunities and the ongoing development of protocols based on the most current scientific evidence. Thomas J. Glynn, Ph.D., the director of cancer science and trends and international cancer control for the American Cancer Society will join the Free & Clear Scientific Advisory Board to help advance the scientific evidence in support of tobacco cessation.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Free & Clear will make a payment to the American Cancer Society for every enrollee Free & Clear serves.

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

About Free & Clear

Free & Clear, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Alere LLC (www.alere.com) and its parent company, Inverness Medical Innovations (NYSE: IMA) (www.invernessmedical.com), specializes in phone-based cognitive behavioral coaching and web-based learning to help employers, health plans and government agencies measurably improve the overall health and productivity of their workforces. Free & Clear’s evidence-based programs address modifiable health risks that contribute to chronic disease: tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity and stress. More than 50 million people have access to the Free & Clear Quit For Life® Program, the nation’s leading tobacco cessation program, which has had its proof of effectiveness published in multiple peer-reviewed, scientific journals over the course of 25 years. The Mind & Body® Program has been developed by nationally recognized experts and is based on the most up‐to‐date, clinically proven science available on weight management and obesity prevention. Free & Clear is based in Seattle, Washington. More information about Free & Clear can be found at

.