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 5, 1997
                                 --------------                          
                        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)
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                  910-229-1127
                                  ------------ 
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS

On August 5, 1997, the Company issued a press release announcing that it has
become the first commercial reference laboratory to offer HIV genotyping using
GeneChip-Registered Trademark- DNA probe arrays and polymerse chain reaction
(PCR) based assays.




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

  (c) Exhibits
                                        
           20   Press release of the Registrant dated August 5, 1997.



                                   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:  August 11, 1997





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                        Contact:       Pamela Sherry
                                                       910-584-5171, Ext. 4855

                  LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA-TM- BECOMES
          FIRST COMMERCIAL LABORATORY TO OFFER  HIV GENOTYPING SERVICES
           USING AFFYMETRIX GENECHIP-Registered Trademark- TECHNOLOGY

BURLINGTON, NC, AUGUST 5, 1997 - Laboratory Corporation of America-TM- Holdings
(LabCorp-TM-)  (NYSE:  LH)  today announced that  it  is  the first commercial
reference  laboratory  to  offer  HIV  genotyping  using  GeneChip-Registered
Trademark- DNA probe arrays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assays. 
GeneChip probe arrays will be supplied by Affymetrix, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFFX) for
use in the assays.

HIV  genotyping  using  the GeneChip probe arrays and PCR-based  assays enables
clinical  researchers and physicians to rapidly determine the  patterns of  HIV
mutations  present  in  an  individual.  Although recent  breakthroughs in  HIV
treatment  involving  combinations of antiviral drugs  may  dramatically reduce
viral  levels  in  patients,  particular  combinations  of  drugs  may be less 
effective  in  patients  who  have  developed  drug  resistance as a result of 
mutations in their virus.

"We are extremely excited to be the commercial laboratory leader  in  offering
this innovative HIV  service," said Thomas P. Mac Mahon, President  and  Chief
Executive  Officer  of  LabCorp.  "By combining DNA  chip technology  with PCR
expertise at LabCorp's Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology  located  in
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, we are furthering our goal of becoming
the premier reference laboratory for HIV patient care."   Specialists  at  the
Center's  infectious disease laboratory focus on state-of-the-art technologies
such  as  PCR  and DNA  probes to improve patient care  by  rapidly detecting,
identifying,  and quantifying  pathogens.  The  facility  maintains a  team of
expert  professionals  that  specialize in a wide variety of esoteric  testing 
services,  cutting-edge research and development,  education,  and training in
such areas as oncology, genetics, and infectious disease.

"We are pleased  that LabCorp, one of the leading reference  laboratories  for
molecular diagnostic  testing,  will be offering HIV genotyping services using
the  GeneChip  technology,"  stated  Dr. Stephen  P.A.  Fodor,  President  and
Chief  Executive  Officer  of Affymetrix.  The  Affymetrix GeneChip  HIV probe
arrays have been  commercially  available for research in the U.S. since April
1996.  The  services  provided  by  LabCorp  using  these  probe arrays enable 
accurate, rapid and cost-effective sequence analysis of certain genes contained
In HIV-1, subtype B.

Laboratory Corporation of  America-TM- Holdings (LabCorp-TM-)  is  a  national
clinical laboratory organization with annualized revenues of $1.6  billion  in
1996.  The  Company  operates  primary testing facilities nationally, offering
more than  1,700  different  clinical assays, from routine  blood  analysis to
more  sophisticated  technologies.  LabCorp  performs  diagnostic  tests  for 
physicians, managed  care  organizations,  hospitals, clinics,  long-term care
facilities, industrial companies and other clinical laboratories.

LabCorp noted that each of the above forward-looking statements was 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.  Further information on potential factors that could
affect the Company's financial results is included in the Company's Form  10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1996.