FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Peters Robert E   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC [DGX] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) VP, Sales & Marketing (Last) (First) (Middle) 1290 WALL STREET WEST 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/22/2006 (Street) LYNDHURST, NJ 07071 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   32,000 A $ 24.76 32,854 (1) D   Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   14,400 A $ 35.0075 47,254 (1) D   Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   18,400 A $ 35.5325 65,654 (1) D   Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   2,667 A $ 30.455 68,321 (1) D   Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   2,300 A $ 26.075 70,621 (1) D   Common Stock 02/22/2006   S   57,647 D $ 53.1484 12,974 (1) D   Common Stock               1,866 (2) I 401K/SDCP

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 24.76

02/22/2006

M

32,000

02/13/2004

02/13/2013

Common Stock

32,000

$ 0

0

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 26.075

02/22/2006

M

2,300

02/21/2002

02/21/2011

Common Stock

2,300

$ 0

0

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 30.455

02/22/2006

M

2,667

05/13/2004

05/13/2013

Common Stock

2,667

$ 0

2,667

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 35.0075

02/22/2006

M

14,400

07/17/2004

07/17/2012

Common Stock

14,400

$ 0

0

D

Stock Options (Right to buy)

$ 35.5325

02/22/2006

M

18,400

02/27/2004

02/27/2012

Common Stock

18,400

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Peters Robert E 1290 WALL STREET WEST LYNDHURST, NJ 07071			VP, Sales & Marketing

Signatures

Leo C. Farrenkopf, Jr.		02/24/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	On June 20, 2005, the Company effected a 2-for-1 stock split of its Common Stock in the form of a 100% stock dividend. All prior holdings, including stock options, have been adjusted to reflect the stock split.
(2)	These underlying shares were acquired on a periodic basis by the trustee of the Company's tax qualified Profit Sharing (401(k) and/or Supplemental Deferred Compensation Plan. The information was obtained from the plan administrator as of a recent date. The number of shares is based on the account balance of the Company stock fund under the plan (which includes some money market instruments) divided by the market price of the Company's stock as of that date.

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