[EXHIBIT (a)(6)]

        [FORM OF EMAIL SENT TO ELIGIBLE OPTION HOLDERS ON AUGUST 1, 2003]

                                     TEKELEC
                             26580 West Agoura Road
                               Calabasas, CA 91302

                                                                  August 1, 2003

Dear Tekelec Employee:

     Today Tekelec is announcing an opportunity for all employees who have
Tekelec stock options granted under the Tekelec Amended and Restated 1994 Stock
Option Plan. The management of Tekelec recognizes that our stock option program
is a valuable program for our employees. However, as a result of the recent
stock market volatility, many of you hold Tekelec stock options with an exercise
price that is significantly higher than the current and recent trading price of
Tekelec's common stock.

     In light of this situation, we are pleased to announce that the Board of
Directors of Tekelec has authorized a stock option exchange program and our
shareholders approved the stock option exchange program at our Annual
Shareholders Meeting held in May. This is a voluntary program that allows
Tekelec's employees to cancel their existing stock options granted under the
Tekelec Amended and Restated 1994 Stock Option Plan that have an exercise price
greater than or equal to $14.00 per share and exchange those options for a new
option to be granted by Tekelec's Board of Directors. If you elect to
voluntarily participate in this program, you will receive an option to purchase
new shares based on the following exchange ratio schedule:



Current Per Share Exercise Price                Number of Shares                 Number of Shares
       of Cancelled Option                Subject to Cancelled Options        Subject to New Options
--------------------------------          ----------------------------        ----------------------
                                                                        
      $14.00 to $30.00                                  1                             0.500
      $30.01 to $53.00                                  1                             0.3333


No fractional shares will be issued. If the number of shares subject to a new
option issuable on the grant date would include a fraction of a share, the
number of shares will be rounded. For example, if you exchange an option to
purchase 251 shares at an exercise price of $25.00 per share, the actual number
of options received will be 125 shares, with no fractional .50 shares issued.

     The new options will be granted and priced on the date of the first meeting
of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors that occurs six months
and one day after the options are cancelled. The new options will be
nonstatutory stock options and not incentive stock options, regardless of
whether the options tendered for exchange are incentive stock options or
nonstatutory stock options. The new options will be completely unvested at the
time of the new grant, regardless of whether the options tendered for exchange
were partially or completely vested. The new options will vest as to twenty
percent (20%) of the shares subject to the option six months after the new
option grant date and will vest as to the remaining eighty percent (80%) of the
shares subject to the option in eight equal quarterly installments on the last
day of each calendar quarter thereafter, in each case conditioned upon continued
employment with Tekelec. Each vested installment of a new option will expire
four years after the applicable vesting date, subject to earlier termination as
provided in the Tekelec Amended and Restated 1994 Stock Option Plan if your
employment with Tekelec or its subsidiaries terminates.

     The documents that describe this stock option exchange program in detail,
including the possible benefits and risks of this program, are available on
Teksource or from the Human Resources department. In the near future, we will
send you a personalized Election to Participate form, together with instructions
for completing the form. Please take the time to carefully review the documents
and instructions and consider your decision carefully. There is no way to
predict what the price of our common stock will be during the next six months.
Our Board of Directors makes no recommendations as to whether you should
participate in the option exchange program, and we urge you to consult with your
own advisors regarding your decision. IF YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROGRAM, YOU MUST SIGN AND RETURN YOUR PERSONALIZED ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE FORM
TO US SO THAT IT IS RECEIVED BY US NO LATER THAN 9:00 P.M., PACIFIC TIME, ON
AUGUST 29, 2003.

     If you have any questions about the stock option exchange program, please
contact Karolyn Flesher, at (818) 880-7820 or karolyn.flesher@tekelec.com.

Sincerely,

Ronald W. Buckly
Vice President and General Counsel