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): November 23, 2004

                              Cardinal Health, Inc.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                                      Ohio
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

                1-11373                               31-0958666
       (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer Identification Number)

                     7000 Cardinal Place, Dublin, Ohio 43017
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)

                                 (614) 757-5000
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

     |_| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
         (17 CFR 230.425)

     |_| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
         CFR 240.14a-12)

     |_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
         Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

     |_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
         Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))








Item 5.04     Temporary Suspension of Trading Under Registrant's Employee
              Benefits Plans

         On November 23, 2004, in accordance with Section 306(a) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rule 104 of Regulation BTR, Cardinal Health, Inc.
(the "Company") sent a notice to its directors and executive officers informing
them that a temporary suspension of trading in Company stock under certain of
the Company's employee benefit plans (also known as a "blackout period") will
begin on December 10, 2004 and is expected to end on December 20, 2004. The
blackout period is in connection with the Company's transferring the
administration of a number of its benefit plans from the current third-party
vendor to a new third-party vendor. The Company has advised participants in the
plans of the blackout period.

         A copy of the notice is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.01 and is
incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)  Exhibits

99.01    Notice of Blackout Period to Directors and Executive Officers of the
         Company.


                                   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.

                                         Cardinal Health, Inc.
                                         (Registrant)

Date:  November 23, 2004                 By:  /s/ Paul S. Williams
                                              ---------------------
                                              Name: Paul S. Williams
                                              Title: Executive Vice President,
                                                     Chief Legal Officer and
                                                     Secretary


                                       2






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


99.01    Notice of Blackout Period to Directors and Executive Officers of the
         Company.




                                       3

EX-99.01

                                                                Exhibit 99.01

                              CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

                         Sarbanes-Oxley Blackout Notice
        To Directors and Executive Officers Subject to Section 306(a)(1)
                        of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

                          Effective: December 10, 2004
                  Expected Duration: Through December 20, 2004

         Notice of and Reason for Blackout Period.  Cardinal Health,  Inc. (the
"Company") will be transferring the  administration  of a number of its
retirement plans to Fidelity Investments from Putnam Investments.  The impacted
plans are

      o the Cardinal Health Profit Sharing, Retirement and Savings Plan,

      o the Cardinal Health Profit Sharing, Retirement and Savings Plan for PRN
        Employees,

      o the Syncor International Corporation Employee Savings and Stock
        Ownership Plan,

      o the Cardinal Health Profit Sharing, Retirement and Savings Plan for
        Puerto Rico Employees, and

      o the Cardinal Health Prior Retirement Accounts Plan.

The administration of the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan and Directors
Deferred Compensation Plan also will be transferred to Fidelity Investments. To
ensure that all participant and plan information is accurately transferred from
Putnam Investments to Fidelity Investments, there will be a period of time
during which plan participants will not be able to direct or diversify
investments held in the plans, change contribution rates, or obtain loans,
withdrawals or distributions from the plan accounts. The period during which
participants in the plans will be unable to exercise these rights is called a
"Blackout Period."

         Impact of the Blackout Period. In addition to the unavailability of
these plan features for all plan participants, it is unlawful under Section
306(a)(1) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for any director or executive
officer of the Company, directly or indirectly, to purchase, sell or otherwise
acquire or transfer any equity security of the Company during any blackout
period with respect to such equity security, if such director or executive
officer acquires or previously acquired such equity security in connection with
his or her service or employment as a director or executive officer of the
Company.

         Duration of the Blackout Period. The Blackout Period will begin at 3:00
p.m. Eastern time on Friday, December 10, 2004 and is expected to end on Monday,
December 20, 2004. To confirm that the Blackout Period has ended, please call
Fidelity Investments at 1-877-866-4401. You may also contact Fidelity
Investments by U.S. mail sent to Cardinal Health Financial Plans Service Center,
300 Puritan Way, Marlborough, MA 01752.

         Contact Information. If you have any questions concerning this notice,
you should contact  Fidelity  Investments  at the telephone number or address
listed above.