
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
      UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                   WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                              
                          FORM 8-K

                       CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934


                        APRIL 28, 1998
                        --------------
              (Date of earliest event reported)
                              
                              
                              
         LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS
         ------------------------------------------
   (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                              


   DELAWARE                1-11353            13-3757370
   --------                -------            ----------
(State or other          (Commission        (IRS Employer
jurisdiction or          File Number)        Identification
organization)                                Number)


                              
  358 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA  27215
  --------------------------------------------------------
          (Address of principal executive offices)
                              
                              
                              
                        336-229-1127
                        ------------
      (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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<PAGE>

ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS

On April 28, 1998, the Company issued a press release
announcing an exclusive partnership with VIRCO, a Belgian-based
biotechnology company, to offer blood analysis tests that will
tell doctors and their HIV+ patients which drugs are likely
to be effective against the individual patient's virus and which
are not. 


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL
         INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

  (c) Exhibit
                              
      20  Press release of the Company dated April 28, 1998.

<PAGE>
<PAGE>
                         SIGNATURES
                              
      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.

               LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS
               ------------------------------------------
                             (Registrant)



                    By:/s/ BRADFORD T. SMITH
                       -----------------------
                           Bradford T. Smith
                           Executive Vice President,
                           General Counsel, Secretary
                           and Compliance Officer



Date: May 7, 1998


