Exhibit 99.3

                          GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC.


                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                               18 U.S.C. ss. 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


In connection with the filing of Genesis Health Ventures' (the "Company")
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2002 with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Robert
H. Fish, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18
U.S.C. ss. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, that:

         (1)      The Report fully complies with the requirements of
                  section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
                  of 1934; and

         (2)      The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in
                  all material respects, the financial condition and results of
                  operations of the Company.




                                                    /s/  Robert H. Fish
                                                    --------------------------
                                                    Robert H. Fish
                                                    Chief Executive Officer


Date:  August 14, 2002