EXHIBIT 99.1



                                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                       TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1997

                                       CONTACTS:

                                       CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.
                                       Debra Dendahl Hadley
                                       Director, Investor Relations
                                       (614) 717-7481

                                       OWEN HEALTHCARE, INC.
                                       Stephen A. Drury
                                       Executive  Vice President 
                                       (713) 777-8173



               HART-SCOTT-RODINO WAITING PERIOD EXPIRES FOR MERGER
                   BETWEEN CARDINAL HEALTH AND OWEN HEALTHCARE


              DUBLIN, OHIO, AND HOUSTON, TEXAS, MARCH 4, 1997 --
         Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) and Owen Healthcare, Inc.
         (NYSE: OWN) announced today that the waiting period under the
         Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act expired at
         midnight last night.  The expiration of this waiting period
         satisfies a condition under the previously announced merger
         agreement between Cardinal and Owen.  This agreement is being
         submitted to the shareholders of Owen for their approval at a
         special meeting scheduled to be held on March 18, 1997.
         Subject to such approval, and the satisfaction of other
         customary conditions, the companies expect to complete this
         transaction before the end of March.

              Owen Healthcare, Inc. is the nation's leading provider of
         fully integrated contract hospital pharmacy management
         services.  The company currently has approximately 330 hospital
         pharmacy customers located in 43 states.

              Cardinal Health, Inc. based in Dublin, Ohio, is one of the
         country's leading health care service providers.  The company
         provides an array of value-added pharmaceutical distribution
         services to a broad base of customers nationwide.  Through a
         number of wholly-owned subsidiaries, Cardinal also provides a
         variety of pharmaceutical-related products and services.

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