Hauppauge, NY, December 2009 —Sonic Healthcare has announced the acquisition of East Side Clinical Laboratory ("ESCL"), based in Providence, Rhode Island.

East Side was established in 1949 as a physician-owned laboratory and has developed into a high quality regional laboratory, providing services throughout Rhode Island and parts of Southern Massachusetts. The company has experienced consistent growth to become the leading provider of clinical laboratory services in the state of Rhode Island, with current annual revenues of over $30 million.

East Side will become integrated into Sonic Healthcare USA's existing Northeast Division (Sunrise Medical Laboratories), providing the opportunity for significant synergy and adding further momentum to Sonic's growth in this area of the country.