ROCK HILL, S.C., Feb. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced the appointment of Dr. Rebekah Gee to the 3D Systems Medical Advisory Board, effective March 1, 2023. Dr. Gee is a recognized expert on public health policy and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2017.

Dr. Gee will join six other members of the advisory board who have been named since the board’s establishment in May 2022:

• Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, former President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health;
• The Honorable David J. Shulkin, former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
• The Honorable Alex Azar, former U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary;
• Dr. Toby Cosgrove, former President & Chief Executive officer of the Cleveland Clinic;
• Dr. Bon Ku, Professor of Medicine and Design at Thomas Jefferson University and Director of the university’s Health Design Lab; and
• Mr. Bert Bruce, Regional President, North America for the Rare Disease Business at Pfizer.

The board’s primary mission is to provide strategic input, guidance, and recommendations for the company’s expanding efforts in regenerative medicine. These efforts are currently focused on utilizing advanced 3D printing technologies and materials central to the manufacture of implantable human organs, human non-organ applications such as vascularized soft tissue for use in reconstruction surgery, and organs-on-a-chip for use in early-stage drug discovery and development.

Dr. Gee is a recognized leader in healthcare policy who possesses a unique blend of experience in delivering innovative healthcare solutions for families and communities, leading government healthcare institutions, and the practice of medicine. Dr. Gee is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nest Health, a company that seeks to overcome the challenges faced by working families with young children in accessing much-needed healthcare services by delivering whole-family, whole-person primary care to families at home, in the community, and online.

From 2016–2020, Dr. Gee served as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the state’s largest agency with an annual budget of approximately $14 billion. While Secretary, Dr. Gee oversaw the implementation of Medicaid expansion which has extended health insurance coverage to over 600,000 Louisianans. Dr. Gee has an extensive background in quality improvement and as a health services researcher who has served in numerous additional state and national healthcare policy roles. Before she was appointed Secretary, Dr. Gee served as the Medicaid Medical Director for Louisiana Medicaid, the Medical Director for Title V, and she directed Louisiana’s Birth Outcomes Initiative where she led efforts to decrease infant mortality and prematurity. Her initiatives resulted in a 25% reduction in infant mortality, an 85% drop in elective deliveries before 39 weeks, and a 10% drop in NICU admissions statewide.

Dr. Gee has been a practicing Obstetrician/Gynecologist for over 20 years, which has enabled her to bring a medical caregiver’s perspective to the people she serves in public policy and healthcare delivery roles. She is a gratis Professor of Public Health at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans. In addition to her appointment to the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Gee was recognized by The New York Times as one of “Five Who Spread Hope” in 2019, and by Modern Healthcare as one of 2019's Women Leaders to Watch in Healthcare.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Jeffrey Graves, president and CEO of 3D Systems, stated, “It is my great pleasure to welcome Dr. Rebekah Gee to our Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Gee has distinguished herself throughout her career by her ability to bridge the gap between the practice of medicine and the critical role that public and private institutions play in delivering healthcare and in improving health outcomes for patients. As 3D Systems moves forward with our efforts to build a world-class regenerative medicine business that will develop innovative medical products in the areas of human organ transplantation and a broad range of non-organ human applications, Dr. Gee’s insights and advice on topics such as patient insurance coverage and third-party reimbursement of care providers will be invaluable. Dr. Gee will also be well-positioned to provide strategic guidance to the Medical Advisory Board on a broad range of issues, given her experience at the helm of state and national healthcare policy institutions as well her leadership role in those institutions’ response to some of the largest public health challenges of our time, such as the COVID pandemic and the opioid crisis. She is an exceptional healthcare leader and we are honored to have her join us at this critical time in our programs.”

In recognition of her appointment, Dr. Gee stated, “I am delighted to become a member of 3D Systems’ Medical Advisory Board and to have the opportunity to play a role in the company’s development of exciting new products and therapies in the area of regenerative medicine. As both a medical practitioner and a long-time leader in the public healthcare arena, I have experienced first-hand how innovation in the areas of medical devices and treatments can lead to dramatic improvements in patient health outcomes. I am honored and excited to have this opportunity to assist the company as they advance the frontier of healthcare innovation and build a world-class regenerative medicine business.”

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "may," "will," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the company’s beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the company. The factors described under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

About 3D Systems
More than 35 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction - empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems’ solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

Investor Contact:  investor.relations@3dsystems.com 
Media Contact:      press@3dsystems.com 

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