8-K

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

August 2, 2004
- ------------------
(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 of         File Number)         Identification
incorporation)                                   Number)


358 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 27215
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(Address of principal executive offices)

336-229-1127
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(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


ITEM 9. Regulation FD Disclosure

On August 2, 2004, Laboratory Corporation of America -Registered Trademark-
Holdings (LabCorp -Registered Trademark-)(NYSE:LH) announced that Arthur H.
Rubenstein, MBBCh, has been elected to its Board of Directors, effective August
1, 2004.  Dr. Rubenstein, 66, is the Dean of the University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for the University of
Pennsylvania Health System.


99.1  Press release of the Company dated August 2, 2004.


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
                      and Secretary


Date: August 2, 2004

EX-99.1

Laboratory Corporation of America-Registered Trademark-Holdings
358 South Main Street
Burlington, NC   27215
Telephone:  (336) 584-5171

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Brad Hayes - (336) 436-4602
Shareholder Direct: (800) LAB-0401
Company Information: www.LabCorp.com

ARTHUR H. RUBENSTEIN NAMED TO LABCORP-Registered Trademark- BOARD OF
DIRECTORS


Burlington, NC, August 2, 2004 - Laboratory Corporation of America-Registered
Trademark- Holdings (LabCorp-Registered Trademark-) (NYSE: LH) today announced
that Arthur H. Rubenstein, MBBCh, has been elected to its Board of Directors,
effective August 1, 2004.  Dr. Rubenstein, 66, is the Dean of the University
of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for the
University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Dr. Rubenstein is an accomplished physician, diabetes researcher and academic
leader who served as Dean and Gustave L. Levy Distinguished Professor at the
Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York from 1997 to 2001.  As a widely
respected scientist and educator, Dr. Rubenstein has also been a faculty member
and chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago.

He is a distinguished member of several prominent organizations including the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Association for the
Advancement of Science, and the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Rubenstein received his medical degree from the University of the
Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"We are delighted that such a prominent, well-respected health care
professional has accepted our invitation to join the LabCorp Board of
Directors," said Thomas P. Mac Mahon, LabCorp Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive Officer.  "Dr. Rubenstein brings with him a sound
knowledge of  health care, and an extraordinary research background, that
I believe will greatly benefit our Company, our shareholders and our
employees."

Laboratory Corporation of America-Registered Trademark-  Holdings
is a pioneer in commercializing new diagnostic technologies and the
first in its industry to embrace genomic testing. With annual revenues of
$2.9 billion in 2003, over 23,000 employees nationwide, and more than
220,000 clients, LabCorp offers over 4,400 clinical assays ranging from
blood analyses to HIV and genomic testing. LabCorp combines its expertise
in innovative clinical testing technology with its Centers of Excellence:
The Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology, in Research Triangle Park, NC;
National Genetics Institute, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA;
ViroMed Laboratories, Inc. based in Minneapolis, MN; The Center for Esoteric
Testing in Burlington, NC; and DIANON Systems, Inc. based in Stratford, CT.
LabCorp clients include physicians, government agencies, managed care
organizations, hospitals, clinical labs, and pharmaceutical companies.
To learn more about our growing organization, visit our Web site at:
www.LabCorp.com.


Each of the above forward-looking statements is subject to change based on
various important factors, including without limitation, competitive actions
in the marketplace and adverse actions of governmental and other third-party
payors.  Actual results could differ materially from those suggested by
these forward-looking statements. Further information on potential factors that
could affect LabCorp's financial results is included in the Company's Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 and subsequent SEC filings.