Exhibit 3.20

                       QUINTILES FEDERATED SERVICES, INC.

                             ----------------------

                            ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

                             ----------------------

         The undersigned does hereby submit these Articles of Incorporation for
the purpose of forming a business corporation under and by virtue of the laws of
the State of North Carolina:

         1.       The name of the corporation is Quintiles Federated Services,
Inc.

         2.       The corporation shall have authority to issue Ten Thousand
(10,000) shares of common stock with $0.01 par value per share.

         3.       The address of the initial registered office of the
corporation in the State of North Carolina is 4709 Creekstone Drive, Riverbirch
Building, Suite 200, Durham, Durham County, North Carolina 27703, and the name
of its initial registered agent at such address is John S. Russell.

         4.       The address of the principal office of the corporation is 4709
Creekstone Drive, Riverbirch Building, Suite 200, Durham, Durham County, North
Carolina 27703

         5.       The name and address of the incorporator is Miranda R. Yalcin,
2500 First Union Capitol Center, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina 27601.

         6.       A director of the corporation shall not be personally liable
to the corporation or otherwise for monetary damages for breach of any duty as a
director, except for liability with respect to (i) acts or omissions that the
director at the time of such breach knew or believed were clearly in conflict
with the best interests of the corporation; (ii) any liability under N.C. Gen.
Stat. Section 55-8-33; or (iii) any transaction from which the director derived
an improper personal benefit. If the North Carolina Business Corporation Act is
amended to authorize corporate



action for further eliminating or limiting personal liability of directors, then
the liability of a director of the corporation shall be eliminated or limited to
the fullest extent permitted by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act, as
so amended. Any repeal or modification of this paragraph shall not adversely
affect any right or protection of a director of the corporation existing at the
time of such repeal or modification.

         7.       The provisions of Article 9 and Article 9A of the North
Carolina Business Corporation Act, entitled "The North Carolina Shareholder
Protection Act" and "The North Carolina Control Share Acquisition Act,"
respectively, shall not be applicable to the corporation.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day
of August, 2002.

                                                     /s/ Miranda R. Yalcin
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Miranda R. Yalcin, Incorporator
                                            SMITH, ANDERSON, BLOUNT, DORSETT,
                                            MITCHELL & JERNIGAN, L.L.P.
                                            2500 First Union Capitol Center
                                            Raleigh, North Carolina 27601