May 29, 2002

News Release: Rapid On-site Anthrax Detection System

Vancouver, British Columbia, May 29, 2002 – Response Biomedical Corp. (RBM: TSX Venture Exchange), today announces the commercial launch of the RAMP™ Anthrax Test, the world’s only rapid and reliable on-site detection system capable of distinguishing between a hoax and a potentially infectious dose of anthrax. For the first time, emergency responders on the front lines of biowarfare now have access to an inexpensive, easy-to-use and portable screening system that provides reliable results in minutes. The market-ready RAMP System will vastly improve the ability to dismiss a hoax, or take immediate action to protect public health and safety in the event of an actual anthrax attack.

Competing rapid on-site tests are unreliable because they cannot detect low levels of anthrax spores and often produce false positive results. Inaccurate readings are common and the test results are inconclusive. Emergency responders continue to rely on confirmatory lab testing for a conclusive result, which takes on average one to three days and precludes an immediate and effective response to a hoax or actual anthrax attack.

“Until today, the inability to quickly obtain a reliable on-site test result when confronting a potential bioterrorist anthrax attack has been a fundamental vulnerability with profound public health and business implications,” states Bill Radvak, President and CEO. “After both internal and independent science-based evaluations of our system and competitive technologies currently on the market, we fully expect the RAMP System will soon become the gold standard in on-site biowarfare detection.”

Independent validation from a leading U.S. government laboratory showed the Company’s RAMP Anthrax Test demonstrated a reliable detection level of 4,000 live spores, with 99% confidence in specificity - substantially below the 10,000 spore level used by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to define an infectious dose. No other competitive technology purports to have comparable performance characteristics.

The biowarfare detection segment is an unregulated industry, and last month, the Company publicly articulated its support for intervention by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address misinformation and confusion in the marketplace.

“We are committed to prove the strength of our RAMP System through independent science-based validation. Research suggests that some alternative products may be unable to detect anthrax in multi-million spore quantities, and in many cases, appear to provide little more than a false sense of security,” adds Radvak. “Credible third-party testing is clearly warranted, and as a measure of our confidence in the RAMP System, we will make it available to any qualified government facility for a critical evaluation against any competing portable rapid on-site technology on the market.”

The RAMP System is a platform technology that delivers accurate and reliable on-site test results in less than fifteen minutes. It consists of a portable fluorescence reader and disposable test cartridges, with the potential to be adapted to more than 250 medical and non-medical tests currently performed in laboratories. Earlier this year, the same RAMP Reader used in biowarfare detection received marketing clearance from the U.S. FDA for general clinical use.

The battery operated RAMP Reader weighs less than five pounds and is easy to operate with single-use disposable cartridges. Data can be stored on the device and uploaded to a printer or computer. The system is now available for an all-inclusive price of less than US$10,000.

The Company has also initiated the development of additional tests for biological agents including botulinum toxin and ricin to meet the security and business requirements of corporations, governments and public safety institutions worldwide. The Company expects RAMP will become an essential emergency device analogous to a standard fire extinguisher – not often used but readily available.

About Response Biomedical Corp.

Response Biomedical develops rapid on-site diagnostic tests for use with its proprietary RAMP Reader intended for both clinical and environmental applications, including tests for the detection of heart attack and biological agents beginning with anthrax.

On January 8, 2002, the Company announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration provided marketing clearance for Response Biomedical’s RAMP Reader for general clinical use, as well as the Myoglobin test – a cardiac marker used in the early diagnosis of heart attack. Approval in Canada is pending, and two other cardiac markers are in late-stage development.

Response Biomedical’s shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “RBM”. For a photo of the RAMP System and/or further information, visit the Company’s website at http://www.responsebio.com.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of the content of the information contained herein. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the Company’s expectations.

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Investor Contact:

John Gomez Manager, Investor Relations
Response Biomedical Corp.
Tel (604) 681-4101 ext 208

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