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                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.1.F


                        AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         This AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Amendment") amends that
certain EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT by and between CLINTRIALS RESEARCH INC., a Delaware
corporation ("Employer"), and PAUL J. OTTAVIANO ("Employee") dated as of January
1, 1998 (the "Employment Agreement") and is entered into between Employer and
Employee this ____ day of _____________, 2000.

         WHEREAS, the parties wish to amend the Employment Agreement as set
forth below;

         IT IS, ACCORDINGLY, AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

         1. Section 2 of the Employment Agreement is amended to read in its
entirety as follows:

                           2. Term. The term of this Agreement shall be for a
                  period commencing on January 1, 1998 and ending December 31,
                  1998, except that the provisions of Section 8 and 9 will
                  survive the expiration or earlier termination of this
                  Agreement. This Agreement shall be automatically renewed for
                  additional and successive one (1) year periods unless either
                  party provides ninety (90) days notice prior to any
                  anniversary date of its intent not to renew this Agreement
                  (the initial term and any and all renewal terms each being a
                  "Period of Employment"). Employee will continue to be paid
                  full pay and benefits during this ninety (90) day period. In
                  the event Employer elects not to renew this Agreement upon any
                  such anniversary date, Employee will be entitled to receive a
                  severance payment in an amount equal to Employee's base
                  monthly compensation (not including incentive compensation) at
                  the time of non-renewal multiplied by eighteen (18), payable
                  in a lump sum, and all unvested stock options shall become
                  fully vested and shall remain exercisable for the remainder of
                  the stated term of such stock options, regardless of whether
                  the Employee continues to be employed by the Employer.

         2. Section 7c. of the Employment Agreement is amended to read in its
entirety as follows:

                           c. Termination by Employer for Other Than Cause.
                  Employer may terminate the employment of Employee at any time
                  upon written notice to the Employee. In such event, Employee
                  shall be paid the amount of any unpaid salary earned by the
                  Employee up to and including the date of such Termination by
                  Employer, an amount equal to Employee's then current monthly
                  base salary multiplied by eighteen (18), payable in a lump sum
                  and any unpaid vacation pay earned by him up to and including
                  the date of such





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                  Termination by Employer. Also for an eighteen (18) month
                  period from effective date of Termination by Employer,
                  Employer shall continue to make the employer contributions
                  necessary to maintain the Employee's coverage pursuant to all
                  benefit plans provided to the Employee by the Employer
                  immediately prior to such Termination by Employer; and
                  Employer shall deduct from payments payable to the Employee
                  pursuant to this Section the amount of any employee
                  contributions necessary to maintain such coverage, and
                  Employee shall continue to be bound by the provisions of
                  Sections 8 and 9 hereof and all unvested stock options shall
                  become fully vested and shall remain exercisable for the
                  remainder of the stated term of such stock options, regardless
                  of whether the Employee continues to be employed by the
                  Employer.

         3. Section 7f. of the Employment Agreement is amended to read in its
entirety as follows:

                           f. Failure to Renew. If Employer gives Employee
                  notice as provided in Section 2 of its election not to renew
                  this Agreement, Employee's employment shall terminate upon the
                  anniversary date. In such event, Employee shall be paid the
                  amount of any unpaid salary earned by the Employee up to and
                  including the date of such Failure to Renew by Employer, an
                  amount equal to Employee's then current monthly base salary
                  multiplied by eighteen (18) in a lump sum and any unpaid
                  vacation pay earned by him up to and including the date of
                  such Termination by Employer. Also for an eighteen (18) month
                  period from the effective date of termination by Employer,
                  Employer shall continue to make the employer contributions
                  necessary to maintain the Employee's coverage pursuant to all
                  benefit plans provided to the Employee by the Employer
                  immediately prior to such Failure to Renew by Employer, and
                  Employer shall deduct from any payments payable to the
                  Employee pursuant to this Section the amount of any employee
                  contributions necessary to maintain such coverage, and
                  Employee shall continue to be bound by the provisions of
                  Sections 8 and 9 hereof, and all unvested stock options shall
                  become fully vested and shall remain exercisable for the
                  remainder of the stated term of such stock options, regardless
                  of whether the Employee continues to be employed by the
                  Employer.

         4. The first paragraph of Section 7g. of the Employment Agreement is
amended to read in its entirety as follows:



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                           g. Change in Control. In the event there is a "Change
                  in Control" of the ownership of the Employer, and the
                  Employee's employment with the Employer is terminated as a
                  result of such Change in Control, or if the Employee resigns
                  within ninety (90) days following a Change in Control, in
                  either case the Employee shall be entitled to receive as a
                  severance payment following such termination or resignation an
                  amount equal to Employee's base monthly compensation (not
                  including incentive compensation) at the time of termination
                  or resignation multiplied by eighteen (18), payable in a lump
                  sum. In addition, any earned but unpaid base salary, incentive
                  compensation and any unpaid vacation pay earned by him up to
                  and including the date of such termination as a result of
                  Change in Control or resignation will be paid. Also, for the
                  eighteen (18) month period following the termination or
                  resignation date, the Employee will continue to receive the
                  Employer contributions necessary to maintain the Employee's
                  coverage pursuant to all benefit plans provided to the
                  Employee by the Employer immediately prior to such termination
                  as a result of Change in Control or resignation. Employer
                  shall deduct from any payments payable to the Employee
                  pursuant to this Section the amount of any employee
                  contributions necessary to maintain such coverage. Further,
                  any stock options granted to the Employee will be fully vested
                  upon a Change in Control, whether or not the Employee is
                  terminated or resigns, notwithstanding any previously stated
                  vesting restrictions, and shall remain exercisable for the
                  remainder of the stated term of such stock options, regardless
                  of whether the Employee continues to be employed by the
                  Employer. In the event of the termination of employment of the
                  Employee by the Employer without "cause" or resignation as a
                  result of or within ninety (90) days following a Change in
                  Control, if the Employee is required, pursuant to Section 4999
                  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
                  to pay (through withholding or otherwise) an excise tax on
                  "excess parachute payments" (as defined in Section 280G of the
                  Code), the Employer shall pay the Employee the amount
                  necessary to place the Employee in the same after-tax
                  financial position that he would have been in if he had not
                  incurred any excise tax liability under Section 4999 of the
                  Code.



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         5. In all other respects the Employment Agreement is hereby ratified
and affirmed.


                                       EMPLOYER:


                                       CLINTRIALS RESEARCH INC.



                                       By:
                                           -------------------------------------
                                       Title:
                                             -----------------------------------


                                       EMPLOYEE:



                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       PAUL J. OTTAVIANO






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