-- Partnership aims to provide convenient access to vaccination -- helping keep kids and teachers in school and parents at work-- "Let's Fight Flu Together!" initiative supports CDC's new vaccination recommendations which include children six months to 18 years old1-- Campaign goal is to increase vaccination rates while supporting PTA with a donation for those vaccinated

Novartis Vaccines announced today a national public health initiative forinfluenza vaccination for school-aged children, their families andteachers. In an effort to support the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention's (CDC) broader influenza vaccination recommendations, NovartisVaccines has partnered with PTA (Parent Teacher Association) and FluBusters, an on-site vaccinations provider, for a nationwide influenzavaccination campaign called "Let's Fight Flu Together!"

During the 2008/2009 influenza season, "Let's Fight Flu Together!"vaccination clinics will be held for students and their families, teachersand community members at participating PTA schools and community sitesacross the United States. Children play a critical role in community-widetransmission of influenza, a recent study reported; and new recommendationsfrom the CDC have increased the number of individuals advised to receive anannual influenza vaccination to include children from six months to 18years of age.(1)(2) Whereas previous recommendations included childrenfrom six months through 59 months of age, this new recommendation aims tohelp protect approximately 30 million additional children.(1)(3)

"We are fully committed to supporting public health efforts to reduce theincidence of seasonal influenza and to protecting more people against thispotentially deadly disease, especially our children," said Joerg Reinhardt,Chief Executive Officer of Novartis Vaccines. "Novartis Vaccines is proudto partner with PTA and Flu Busters on the 'Let's Fight Flu Together!'initiative. Influenza has caused high rates of absenteeism among studentsand staff in our country's 119,000 schools.(4) Providing these accessiblevaccination clinics will help bring influenza vaccines to as many familiesas possible, which we hope will result in keeping more children andteachers in school and parents at work this influenza season."

For each influenza vaccination administered by a Flu Busters' qualifiedhealth professional at a "Let's Fight Flu Together!" clinic, a donationwill be made to PTA to support local students and schools. Eachvaccination will cost $30, and Medicare Part B will be accepted from thosewho are eligible. Visitors to the clinics will also be able to receive tipson staying healthy during this influenza season. A comprehensive list ofparticipating sites offering influenza vaccination clinics can be found atwww.PTA.org/flushotclinics.

Many people think influenza, or "the flu," is just a bad cold. However,influenza can be a serious and potentially deadly virus.(5) On averageeach year, students miss approximately 38 million school days due toinfluenza and parents miss more than 10 million work days caring for thesesick youngsters.(6)(7) Moreover, during the last influenza season in theUS, 83 children were reported who died from influenza-related causes.(8)

"PTA was founded on taking action for the health and wellness of children,parents, school staff and community members. That's why we're excitedabout returning to our roots with the help of Novartis Vaccines and FluBusters," said Byron Garrett, Chief Executive Officer, National PTA. "In2006, only 20 percent of school age children recommended to be vaccinatedagainst seasonal influenza actually received the vaccine.(9) We hope thatoffering these clinics will make receiving an influenza vaccinationconvenient for people while educating them on the importance of preventingthis potentially serious illness."

"People need to know that personal hygiene, such as washing your hands andgood nutrition are only part of staying healthy during the influenzaseason," said Richard Kanowitz, President of Families Fighting Flu. "Thesingle best protection against this potentially deadly disease is an annualinfluenza vaccination."(10)

Influenza vaccines are not currently approved for children under six monthsof age and may not prevent the disease in 100 percent of individualsreceiving the vaccine.(11) Persons should consult their healthcareprovider to determine if they have a condition that precludes them fromreceiving the vaccine. All vaccines have side effects. The most commonside effects of influenza vaccinations include local reactions and mildgeneral symptoms.(11)

For more information about the "Let's Fight Flu Together!" initiative,visit the PTA web site at www.PTA.org/flushotclinics.

Disclaimer

The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can beidentified by terminology such as "will," "committed," "potentially,""hope," "can," "may," or similar expressions, or by express or implieddiscussions regarding potential future revenues from the "Let's Fight FluTogether!" campaign. You should not place undue reliance on thesestatements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views ofthe Company regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks,uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to bematerially different from any future results, performance or achievementsexpressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that the"Let's Fight Flu Together!" campaign will achieve any particular levels ofrevenue in the future. In particular, management's expectations regardingthe "Let's Fight Flu Together!" campaign could be affected by, among otherthings, competition in general; government, industry and general publicpricing pressures; unexpected manufacturing problems; unexpected regulatoryactions or delays or government regulation generally; unexpected clinicaltrial results, including unexpected new clinical data and unexpectedadditional analysis of existing clinical data; the company's ability toobtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual propertyprotection; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the valuesattributed to the Group's assets and liabilities as recorded in the Group'sconsolidated balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to inNovartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and ExchangeCommission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize,or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may varymaterially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this dateand does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-lookingstatements contained in this press release as a result of new information,future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis AG provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needsof patients and societies. Focused solely on healthcare, Novartis offers adiversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines,cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines, diagnostic toolsand consumer health products. Novartis is the only company with leadingpositions in these areas. In 2007, the Group's continuing operations(excluding divestments in 2007) achieved net sales of USD 38.1 billion andnet income of USD 6.5 billion. Approximately USD 6.4 billion was investedin R&D activities throughout the Group. Headquartered in Basel,Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 97,000 full-timeassociates and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For moreinformation, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

References1 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, "Prevention and Control of Influenza, Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2008," Accessed, September 18. 2008.2 Brownstein, J. S. & Mandl, K. Annals of Emergency Medicine, "Pediatric Population Size Is Associated With Geographic Patterns of Acute Respiratory Infections Among Adults." Volume 52, No. 1: July 2008.3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "CDC's Advisory Committee Recommends Influenza Vaccination for Children 6 months through 18 years of age" available at http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/r080227.htm. Accessed, September 18, 2008.4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "Stopping Germs at Home, Work and School" available at http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/materials/home_work_school.pdf. Accessed, September 18, 2008.5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "Questions & Answers: Seasonal Influenza" available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/disease.htm. Accessed, September 18, 2008.6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital and Health Statistics. "Current Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, 1996." October 1999.7 Neuzil, K. M., Hohlbein, C. & Zhy, Y. Arch Pediatrics Adolescent Medicine. "Illness Among Schoolchildren During Influenza Season." Vol. 156, October 2002.8 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, "Influenza Activity---United States and Worldwide, 2007-08 Season." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 27, 2008 / 57(25); 692-697.9 2006 National Consumer Study., June 2007.10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Key Facts About Seasonal Influenza (Flu)" available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm. Accessed, September 18, 2008.11 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Seasonal Flu Shots" available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm. Accessed, September 18, 2008.