R. Frederick McCoy, Jr., Elects Early Retirement from Guidant

Guidant Corporation (NYSE:GDT) today announced that Fred
McCoy, president, Guidant Cardiac Rhythm Management, has elected early
retirement effective March 17. McCoy will be succeeded by an interim
management team until the closing of the Boston Scientific
transaction.
   James M. Cornelius, Guidant Chairman and CEO, commented, "Fred
has spent his entire 25-year business career with Guidant and its
previous pre-split-off owner Eli Lilly and Company, in a variety of
increasingly responsible global assignments. He has served as the
leader of this business unit since 2000, and has been instrumental in
the market adoption of new Guidant products for the treatment of
sudden cardiac death and heart failure. His tireless efforts and
dedicated service have contributed greatly to Guidant's success over
the years."
   "We can be proud of everything we have accomplished at Guidant,"
said Mr. McCoy. "Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our people,
thousands of heart patients around the world are living longer,
healthier lives. With the upcoming ownership change to Boston
Scientific, now is the appropriate time for me to depart. I do so with
every wish and expectation for the success of the fine people of the
Company and of those that we serve."
   Cornelius added, "Since we are nearing completion of the Boston
Scientific merger transaction, we have decided to appoint Mark
Bartell, currently President of Guidant Sales Corporation (U.S.), and
William McConnell, Guidant Vice President, who is leading Guidant
integration planning into Boston Scientific, to serve as co-heads of
our global cardiac rhythm management business until the transaction is
completed. Both Mark and Bill will report to me in this interim
capacity."
   Mr. McCoy became president, Cardiac Rhythm Management, in May
2000. Prior to this assignment, he served as President, Asia Pacific
Operations in Tokyo, Japan. From 1995 to 1997, Mr. McCoy served as
Vice President, U.S. Operations West. In 1993, he became General
Manager, Northwest Operations, located in Seattle, Wash., for Eli
Lilly and Company's Medical Devices and Diagnostic division. In 1991,
he became Chief Financial Officer of Cardiac Pacemakers Inc., now
Guidant Cardiac Rhythm Management. Previously, he had held a series of
positions with Lilly in Indiana, Alabama and California.
   Mr. McCoy received a Bachelor of Science degree from the
University of North Carolina in 1979. He is also a graduate of the
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he
received a Master of Management degree in 1981.
   Boston Scientific and Guidant have filed a definitive
prospectus/joint proxy statement with the SEC in connection with the
proposed transaction. The material contained herein is not a
substitute for the definitive prospectus/joint proxy statement or any
other documents that Boston Scientific and Guidant have filed or will
file with the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read
the definitive prospectus/joint proxy statement and any other relevant
documents filed or to be filed by Boston Scientific or Guidant,
because they contain or will contain important information about the
proposed transaction. The definitive prospectus/joint proxy statement
is, and other documents filed or to be filed by Boston Scientific and
Guidant with the SEC are or will be, available free of charge at the
SEC's website (www.sec.gov) or from Boston Scientific by directing a
request to Boston Scientific Corporation, One Boston Scientific Place,
Natick, Massachusetts 01760-1537, Attention: Milan Kofol, Investor
Relations, or from Guidant by directing a request to Guidant
Corporation, 111 Monument Circle, 29th Floor, Indianapolis, Indiana
46204, Attention: Investor Relations.
   Boston Scientific, Guidant and their respective directors,
executive officers and other employees may be deemed to be
participants in the solicitation of proxies from the security holders
of Boston Scientific or Guidant in connection with the proposed
transaction. Information about Boston Scientific's directors and
executive officers is available in Boston Scientific's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and information
about Guidant's directors and executive officers is available in
Guidant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2005. Additional information about the interests of potential
participants is included in the definitive prospectus/joint proxy
statement referred to above.