PHAR-MOR AND PERSONALMD.COM Form Strategic Partnership to Provide PHAR-MOR Customers with Online Access to Personalized Medical Records

YOUNGSTOWN, OH and PLEASANTON, CA SEPTEMBER 27, 1999 - Phar-Mor Inc. (Nasdaq: PMOR), a discount drugstore chain, and PersonalMD.com, a destination health site providing on line medical records and personalized content, today announced a strategic partnership to provide Phar-Mor customers with online access to personalized medical records.

The relationship establishes a co-branded site wherein Phar-Mor customers can enter all of their vital medical records, including current medications, known drug allergies, and personal and family medical history. EKGs, lab reports and advanced directives (living wills) can be faxed into the member's secure, confidential file. The site will also contain content provided by PersonalMD.com, known for its volumes of medical information, personalized news and exclusive articles.

In exchange for the medical records management feature and content, Phar-Mor will promote a co-branded PersonalMD/Phar-Mor Emergency Card in its 139 stores. The Card enables emergency physicians to access the member's vital records within seconds via fax or the Internet from anywhere in the world. These services have life-saving implications, given that 140,000 people die annually from adverse drug events and six million people visit an emergency room every year complaining of chest pains.

"This is a major breakthrough in the emergency physician's ability to make informed, split second decisions regarding the health of our patients when every moment is precious," according to Scott Plantz, M.D., Vice President, American Academy of Emergency Medicine. "Instantaneous access to vital information, including current medications, known drug allergies and EKGs, could mean the difference between life and death."

"Up until this point, emergency department physicians either had to rely upon an incoming patient's memory during a very stressful time, conduct multiple tests, and/or wait until the patient's primary physician was available for consultation," explains Thomas Booth, M.D., M.S., Vice President of Medical Affairs for PersonalMD.com. "In times of medical crisis, patients have lost their lives because crucial information was not available at the moment it was needed.

"Our relationship with Phar-Mor expands the universe of people who can benefit from the free on line medical records and emergency card services," said Suresh Challa, President and CEO, PersonalMD.com. "We are pleased to partner with Phar-Mor to help its customers take greater control over their health and well-being."

David Schwartz, President and COO of Phar-Mor said: "We are excited to offer this personalized health care program to our six million pharmacy customers. This partnership will be instrumental in our ongoing efforts to serve our customers' complete health care needs, and to join with quality partners such as PersonalMD.com to offer our customers valuable services in cyberspace."

On-line medical records are as comprehensive as the customer desires. The information can include data culled from personal file cabinets, primary physicians, specialists and prescriptions. EKGs, lab reports and advanced directives (living wills) can be faxed into the record. "The service provides consumers with all of the tools they need to streamline their medical records, much like Quicken does for financial data, " says Challa. "The major advantage is that these vital medical records can be accessed the moment they are needed from anywhere in the world."

PersonalMD.com subscribes to the HON Code of Ethics on the Internet. All medical records on the co-branded and PersonalMD.com sites are strictly confidential and are not made available to Phar-Mor or any other company. Information is encrypted and safeguarded through a series of security measures.

Phar-Mor is a retail drugstore chain operating 139 stores under the names "Phar-Mor," "Pharmhouse" and "The Rx Place" in 24 states with annual revenues of approximately $1.3 billion. The Company's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "PMOR". Additional information on Phar-Mor may be found at www.pharmor.com.

This release contains statements relating to future results of Phar-Mor, Inc. and its market share in the industry (including certain projections and business trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, market acceptance of merchandising concepts, changes in political and economic conditions, demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products, availability of new products, increased competition as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Press Contact for Media:
For PersonalMD.com
Susan Cossette
Susan@PersonalMD.com
925/460-9088
For Phar-Mor
Brian Browdie
bbrowdie@rlmnet.com
212/484-7490