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


       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): October 28, 2004


                         Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
                               One Malcolm Avenue
                               Teterboro, NJ 07608
                                 (201) 393-5000

                                     1-12215
                            (Commission file number)

                                    Delaware
                            (State of Incorporation)


                                   16-1387862
                     (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

















Item 8.01         Other Events

         On October 28, 2004, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (the "Company")
issued a press release announcing that it and its test kit manufacturing
subsidiary, Nichols Institute Diagnostics ("NID"), each received a subpoena from
the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of New York. The subpoenas
seek the production of various business records, including documents related to
NID's FDA-cleared tests for parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. The press release
is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.


Item 9.01.        Financial Statements and Exhibits

c.       Exhibit

         99.1     Press release issued October 28, 2004 regarding the subpoena
                  received from the Eastern District of New York.






                                   Signatures

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


                                            October 28, 2004

                                            QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INCORPORATED


                                            By:  /s/ Michael. E. Prevoznik
                                                 ------------------------------
                                                 Michael E. Prevoznik
                                                 Senior Vice President and
                                                 General Counsel

EX-99

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


                      QUEST DIAGNOSTICS RECEIVES SUBPOENAS
                      REGARDING TEST PRODUCED BY SUBSIDIARY

TETERBORO, N.J., October 28, 2004 - Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX),
the nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services,
announced that it and its test kit manufacturing subsidiary, Nichols Institute
Diagnostics (NID), each received a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney's office for
the Eastern District of New York late Monday. The subpoenas seek the production
of various business records, including documents related to NID's FDA-cleared
tests for parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.

Quest Diagnostics will cooperate with the government's investigation.

NID manufactures and markets diagnostic test kits and systems primarily for
esoteric testing. These tests are sold principally to hospitals, clinical
laboratories and dialysis centers. Quest Diagnostics' revenues from sales of
NID's PTH test kits and related testing are estimated to be less than 1% of
consolidated revenues.

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated is the nation's leading provider of diagnostic
testing, information and services, providing insights that enable healthcare
professionals to make decisions that improve health. The company offers the
broadest access to diagnostic testing services through its national network of
laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation
through its extensive medical and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is the
leading provider of esoteric testing, including gene-based medical testing, and
provides advanced information technology solutions to improve patient care.
Additional company information is available at: www.questdiagnostics.com.

The statements in this press release which are not historical facts or
information may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to
be materially different. Certain of these risks and uncertainties may include,
but are not limited to, competitive environment, changes in government
regulations, changing relationships with customers, payers, suppliers and
strategic partners and other factors described in the Quest Diagnostics
Incorporated 2003 Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

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