(August 19, 2004) -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved extending the shelf life of its TAXUS Express² paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system in the United States to nine months from the current shelf life of six months. The decision was based on data submitted by Boston Scientific to the FDA that demonstrated the performance of the TAXUS system -- in particular the drug content, drug degradation profile, and drug-release mechanism -- was maintained within FDA-approved specifications at nine months.

The extended expiration date applies to all sizes of the TAXUS system for sale in the United States. The Company said it would immediately begin updating labels to reflect the nine-month expiration date. The shelf life for the TAXUS system outside the United States remains unchanged at 18 months.

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: www.bostonscientific.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The Company wishes to caution the reader of this press release that actual results may differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and may be adversely affected by, among other things, risks associated with the commercialization of new technologies, competitive offerings, intellectual property and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.