8-K

                       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): December 24, 2003

                                    PDI, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

           DELAWARE                       0-24249                 22-2919486
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer
        incorporation)                                       Identification No.)

             10 Mountainview Road,
            Upper Saddle River, NJ                                  07458
    (Address of principal executive office)                      (Zip Code)

                                 (201) 258-8450
               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



Item 5. Other Events and Required FD Disclosure.

On December 24, 2003, the Company issued a press release announcing that it has
signed an agreement with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the U.S.
pharmaceuticals affiliate of Novartis AG. The full text of the press release is
set forth as Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit 99.1 Press Release of PDI, Inc. dated December 24, 2003

                                 * * * * * * *

                                    SIGNATURE

      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.

                                          PDI, INC.


                                          By:  /s/ Charles T. Saldarini
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Charles T. Saldarini, Vice Chairman
                                              and Chief Executive Officer

Date: December 24, 2003

EX-99.1

                                  Exhibit 99.1

                      PDI Announces Contract with Novartis

Upper Saddle River, NJ-- (December 24, 2003) PDI, Inc. (NASDAQ: PDII) announced
that it has signed an agreement with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the
U.S. pharmaceuticals affiliate of Novartis AG. The contract calls for 300
representatives supporting Diovan(R) and Lotrel(R) and replaces the one ending
December 31, 2003 . The new contract is scheduled to end December 31, 2004.

PDI reaffirms its 2004 guidance of $1.15 to $1.25 earnings per share.

Steven K. Budd, President of PDI's Global Sales and Marketing Services Group
said, "We are pleased to continue our relationship with Novartis and look
forward to contributing to their continued success."

About PDI

PDI, a premier healthcare sales and marketing company, provides strategic
alternatives to the portfolio challenges of biopharmaceutical and medical device
and diagnostics manufacturers. Focusing on two core businesses, sales and
marketing services and product commercialization, PDI leverages its expertise
and commercial infrastructure to maximize profitable brand growth. Manufacturers
choose the relationship which best meets their strategic and financial
objectives, ranging from individual or bundled service agreements to broader
commercial partnerships.

For more information, visit the Company's website at www.pdi-inc.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned
that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and
uncertainties, known and unknown, which could cause actual results and
developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such
statements. Please see the risk factors detailed from time to time in PDI's
periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without
limitation, PDI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2002, and PDI's periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission since January 1, 2003. The forward looking-statements in
this press release are based upon management's reasonable belief as of the date
hereof. PDI undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any
forward-looking statements for any reason.