<ARTICLE> 5
<CIK> 0001058083
<NAME> IMS HEALTH
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                                       
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS                   YEAR                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998             DEC-31-1997             DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998             JAN-01-1997             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1998             DEC-31-1997             DEC-31-1996
<CASH>                                         340,247                 312,442                 422,963
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  250,081                 251,623                 409,018
<ALLOWANCES>                                     4,191                   3,905                  11,738
<INVENTORY>                                     29,749                  26,315                  26,103
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               662,422                 629,757                 931,544
<PP&E>                                         354,470                 352,503                 452,843
<DEPRECIATION>                                 178,915                 173,970                 228,265
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,558,212               1,502,089               1,793,445
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          382,084                 397,289                 634,411
<BONDS>                                              0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0                       0
<COMMON>                                         1,711                   1,711                   1,711
<OTHER-SE>                                     870,551                 799,859                 870,902
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,558,212               1,502,089               1,579,520
<SALES>                                              0                       0                       0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               240,968               1,059,559               1,411,192
<CGS>                                                0                       0                       0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  222,240                 831,949               1,167,485
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                 2,770                   4,792                   2,465
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                       0                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 200                   2,293                   1,338
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 53,832                 322,474                 249,560
<INCOME-TAX>                                    14,750                  88,358                 109,806
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             39,082                 234,116                 139,754
<DISCONTINUED>                                  21,005                  78,234                  55,697
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0                       0
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                    60,087                 312,350                 195,451
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.37                    1.89                    1.15
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.38                    1.86                    1.15