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                                                                     EXHIBIT 2.8

                                                                  EXECUTION COPY

                          CORPORATE SERVICES AGREEMENT

                  CORPORATE SERVICES AGREEMENT (this "AGREEMENT"), dated as
of August 31, 2000, between IMS Health Incorporated, a Delaware corporation
("IMS"), and Synavant Inc., a Delaware corporation ("ST").

                  WHEREAS, ST is a subsidiary of IMS;

                  WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of IMS has determined that it
is appropriate, desirable and in the best interests of IMS and its businesses,
as well as of the shareholders of IMS to spin-off ST into an independent
publicly traded company (the "DISTRIBUTION");

                  WHEREAS, IMS has provided ST with various corporate services,
as more fully delineated below; and

                  WHEREAS, following completion of the Distribution, IMS will
continue to provide many of the services to ST historically provided by it, and
ST is willing to accept and pay for such services, as provided herein;

                  NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the
mutual agreements contained in this Agreement, IMS and ST hereby agree as
follows:

                  SECTION 1. CORPORATE SERVICES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE. During
the Term (as hereinafter defined), IMS agrees to make available to ST, as
required from time to time by ST, the services described below, in a manner
and scope consistent with the services currently provided by the U.S.
corporate office located in Westport, Connecticut (collectively, the
"CORPORATE SERVICES"), on the terms and subject to the limitations provided
herein:

                  (a) tax advice and services, including the preparation of
         federal, state and local corporate tax returns, to be provided by IMS's
         internal tax staff, PROVIDED, THAT, with respect to any tax services
         provided by IMS hereunder, IMS shall make a good faith effort to notify
         ST of any conflict of interest of which it is aware that may arise from
         the rendering of such services to ST and, in such event, the parties
         shall jointly agree on an appropriate course of action to resolve such
         conflict;

                  (b) financial advice and services, including assistance with
         respect to the raising of additional capital, cash management, treasury
         management and general treasury support to be provided by IMS's
         treasury staff;

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                  (c) for a period of forty-five (45) days from the date of this
         Agreement only, personnel administration advice and services, including
         the administration of employee insurance plans, savings plans and other
         employee benefit plans, to be provided by IMS's human resources staff;

                  (d) in connection with the preparation of the first annual
         report to shareholders of ST and the proxy statement relating to the
         first annual meeting of shareholders of ST, personnel administration
         advice and services relating to the preparation of annual report tables
         (and the notes thereto), proxy statement tables (and the notes
         thereto), and directors' and officers' questionnaires, to be provided
         by IMS's human resources staff; and

                  (e) purchasing management services, including ongoing contract
         management with outside vendors in the United States and Europe and
         participation in negotiation, or renegotiation as the case may be, of
         third party agreements.

                  (f) In providing the Corporate Services to ST, IMS's officers
         and employees shall conduct themselves in accordance with any written
         policies and procedures of ST that are provided to IMS.

                  SECTION 2. FEES FOR SERVICES AND OTHER BENEFITS.

                  (g) For the Corporate Services to be provided by IMS to ST
         hereunder, ST shall pay the following fees to IMS:

                     (i)   for the tax advice and services referred to in
                           Section 1(a) above and the financial advisory and
                           general treasury support services referred to in
                           Section 1(b) above, the fees set forth on Schedule 1
                           hereto;

                     (ii)  for the personnel administration advice and services
                           referred to in (c) and 1(d) above, the fees set forth
                           on Schedule 2 hereto.

                     (iii) for the purchasing services referred to in Section
                           1(f) above, the fee to be set forth on Schedule 3
                           hereto.

                  Other than as set forth above, no fee shall be payable to IMS
         by ST for the Corporate Services provided hereunder; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
         that any third-party costs incurred by IMS on behalf of ST in
         connection with the performance by


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         IMS of the Corporate Services hereunder shall be borne by ST. In
         addition, ST shall be responsible for the software licensing fees and
         maintenance costs of software not provided by IMS but used in
         connection with the performance by IMS of the Corporate Services
         hereunder, as set forth on Schedule 4 hereto. All such costs shall be
         reimbursed to IMS as provided in Section 2(c) hereunder.

                  (b) Beginning on January 3, 2001, ST agrees to pay to IMS on
         the last business day of each fiscal quarter that portion of the fees,
         determined as set forth in Section 2(a), attributable to such quarter.

                  (c) ST also agrees to reimburse IMS, within 15 Business Days
         (as hereinafter defined) of presentation of invoices therefor, for all
         out-of-pocket expenses incurred by IMS in providing Corporate Services.
         As used herein, "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day that is not a
         Saturday, Sunday or day on which banking institutions in New York, New
         York are not required to be open.

                  SECTION 3. TERM OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall become
effective on the distribution date of the Distribution (the "Effective Date")
and shall remain in effect (the "Term") thereafter unless terminated by either
party upon not less than three (3) months' prior written notice; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that in no event shall the Term extend beyond the second anniversary of
the Effective Date.

                  SECTION 4. MISCELLANEOUS.

                  (a) NONASSIGNABILITY OF AGREEMENT. Except (i) by operation of
         law, (ii) in connection with the sale of all or substantially all the
         assets of a party hereto or (iii) in connection with the Distribution,
         this Agreement shall not be assignable, in whole or in part, directly
         or indirectly by either party hereto without the prior written consent
         of the other, and any attempt to assign any rights or obligations
         arising under this Agreement without such consent shall be void;
         PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the provisions of this Agreement shall be
         binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by IMS and ST
         and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

                  (b) FURTHER ASSURANCES. Subject to the provisions hereof, each
         of the parties hereto shall make, execute, acknowledge and deliver such
         other actions and documents as may be reasonably required in order to
         effectuate the purposes of this Agreement, and to comply with all
         applicable laws, regulations, orders and decrees, and obtain all
         required consents and approvals and make all required filings with any
         governmental agency, other regulatory or administrative agency,
         commission or similar authority, as may be necessary or desirable in
         connection herewith.

                  (c) WAIVERS. No failure or delay on the part of IMS or ST in
         exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor
         shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, or any
         abandonment or discontinuance of steps


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         to enforce such right, preclude any other or further exercise thereof
         or the exercise of any other right. No modification or waiver of any
         provision of this Agreement nor consent to any departure by IMS or ST
         therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in
         writing, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the
         specific instance and for the purpose for which given.

                  (d) ENTIRE AGREEMENT; RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement
         contains the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the
         transactions contemplated hereby. References in this Agreement to any
         gender include references to all genders, and references to the
         singular include references to the plural and vice versa. The words
         "include", "includes" and "including" when used in this Agreement shall
         be deemed to be followed by the phrase "without limitation". Unless the
         context otherwise requires, the words "hereof", "hereby" and "herein"
         and words of similar meaning when used in this Agreement refer to this
         Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular Article, Section or
         provision of this Agreement.

                  (e) AMENDMENTS. This Agreement may be amended or supplemented
         only in a writing executed by the parties.

                  (f) NOTICES. All notices, requests and other communications
         hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (i) by mail (postage
         prepaid, registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), (ii)
         by hand delivery, (iii) by nationally recognized courier service or
         (iv) by telecopier, receipt confirmed, addressed as follows (or to such
         other address as shall be specified by a party by notice pursuant
         hereto):

                                (i) if to IMS, to:

                                    IMS Health Incorporated
                                    200 Nyala Farms
                                    Westport, CT 06880
                                    Attention: Chief Financial Officer
                                    Telecopier: (203) 222-4527;

                                    with a copy to:

                                    IMS Health Incorporated
                                    200 Nyala Farms
                                    Westport, CT 06880
                                    Attention:  General Counsel
                                    Telecopier: (203) 222-4268; and

                               (ii) if to ST, to:


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                                    Synavant Inc.
                                    3445 Peachtree Rd., NE, Suite 1400
                                    Atlanta, GA 30326
                                    Attention: Chief Executive Officer
                                    Telecopier: (404) 841-4115;

                                    with copy to:

                                    Synavant Inc.
                                    3445 Peachtree Rd., NE, Suite 1400
                                    Atlanta, GA 30326
                                    Attention: Chief Financial Officer
                                    Telecopier: (404) 841-4115.

Each such notice, request or communication shall be effective (i) if mailed,
three Business Days after mailing, (ii) if delivered by hand or by nationally
recognized courier service, when delivered and (iii) if given by telecopier,
when such telecopy is transmitted and the appropriate confirmation is received.

                  (g) DISPUTE RESOLUTION.

                     (i)  NEGOTIATION. In the event of a controversy, dispute or
                          claim arising out of, in connection with, or in
                          relation to the interpretation, performance,
                          nonperformance, validity or breach of this
                          Agreement or otherwise arising out of, or in any
                          way related to this Agreement or the transactions
                          contemplated hereby, including, without limitation,
                          any claim based on contract, tort, statute or
                          constitution (but excluding any controversy,
                          dispute or claim arising out of any agreement
                          relating to the use or lease of real property if
                          any third party is a party to such controversy,
                          dispute or claim) (collectively, "Agreement
                          Disputes"), the Agreement Dispute shall be
                          negotiated in good faith for a reasonable period of
                          time by the local managers concerned (or the
                          equivalent thereof) of the parties, provided that
                          such reasonable period of time shall not exceed 15
                          days from the time the parties began such
                          negotiations. Should there be no resolution of an
                          Agreement Dispute within a reasonable period of
                          time by such local managers (or the equivalent
                          thereof) of the parties, the Agreement Dispute
                          shall be negotiated in good faith for a reasonable
                          period of time by the general counsels of the
                          parties, provided that such reasonable period of
                          time shall not, unless otherwise agreed by the
                          parties in writing, exceed 15 days from the time
                          the general counsels began such negotiations.
                          Should there be no resolution of an Agreement
                          Dispute within a reasonable period of time by the
                          general counsels of the parties, the Agreement
                          Dispute shall be negotiated in good faith for a
                          reasonable period of time by the chief executive
                          officers

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                          of the parties, or their respective designees,
                          provided that such reasonable period of time shall
                          not, unless otherwise agreed by the parties in
                          writing, exceed 30 days from the time the chief
                          executive officers of the parties, or their
                          respective designees, began such negotiations;
                          provided further that in the event of any
                          arbitration in accordance with Section 4(g)(ii)
                          hereof, the parties shall not assert the defenses
                          of statute of limitations and laches arising for
                          the period beginning after the date the parties
                          began negotiations hereunder, and any contractual
                          time period or deadline under this Agreement or any
                          Ancillary Agreement to which such Agreement Dispute
                          relates shall not be deemed to have passed until
                          such Agreement Dispute has been resolved.

                     (ii) ARBITRATION. If after such reasonable period such
                          representatives are unable to settle such Agreement
                          Dispute (and in any event, unless otherwise agreed
                          in writing by the parties, after 60 days have
                          elapsed from the time the parties began such
                          negotiations), such Agreement Dispute shall be
                          determined, at the request of either party, by
                          arbitration conducted in New York City, before and
                          in accordance with the then-existing International
                          Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration
                          Association (the "RULES"). In any dispute between
                          the parties hereto, the number of arbitrators shall
                          be one. Any judgment or award rendered by the
                          arbitrator shall be final, binding and
                          nonappealable (except upon grounds specified in 9
                          U.S.C.ss.10(a) as in effect on the date hereof). If
                          the parties are unable to agree on an arbitrator,
                          the arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with
                          the Rules. Any controversy concerning whether an
                          Agreement Dispute is an arbitrable Agreement
                          Dispute, whether arbitration has been waived,
                          whether an assignee of this Agreement is bound to
                          arbitrate or as to the interpretation of
                          enforceability of this Section 4(g)(ii) shall be
                          determined by the arbitrator. In resolving any
                          dispute, the parties intend that the arbitrator
                          apply the substantive laws of the State of New
                          York, without regard to the choice of law
                          principles thereof. The parties intend that the
                          provisions to arbitrate set forth herein be valid,
                          enforceable and irrevocable. The undersigned agree
                          to comply with any award made in any such
                          arbitration proceedings that has become final in
                          accordance with the Rules and agree to enforcement
                          of or entry of judgment upon such award, by any
                          court of competent jurisdiction, including the
                          Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York
                          County, or the United States District Court for the
                          Southern District of New York. The arbitrator shall
                          be entitled, if appropriate, to award any remedy in
                          such proceedings, including, without limitation,
                          monetary damages, specific performance and all
                          other forms of legal and

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                          equitable relief; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
                          arbitrator shall not be entitled to award punitive
                          damages. Without limiting the provisions of the
                          Rules, unless otherwise agreed in writing by or
                          among the relevant parties or permitted by this
                          Agreement, the parties shall keep confidential all
                          matters relating to the arbitration or the award,
                          PROVIDED such matters may be disclosed (A) to the
                          extent reasonably necessary in any proceeding
                          brought to enforce the award or for entry of a
                          judgment upon the award and (B) to the extent
                          otherwise required by law. Notwithstanding Article
                          32 of the Rules, the party other than the
                          prevailing party in the arbitration shall be
                          responsible for all of the costs of the
                          arbitration, including legal fees and other costs
                          specified by such Article 32. Nothing contained
                          herein is intended to or shall be construed to
                          prevent any party, in accordance with Article 22(3)
                          of the Rules or otherwise, from applying to any
                          court of competent jurisdiction for interim
                          measures or other provisional relief in connection
                          with the subject matter of any Agreement Disputes.

                  (h) CONTINUITY OF SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE. Unless otherwise
         agreed in writing, the parties will continue to provide service and
         honor all other commitments under this Agreement during the course of
         dispute resolution pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement with
         respect to all matters not subject to such dispute, controversy or
         claim.

                  (i) GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and
         construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without
         regard to the choice of law principles thereof.

                  (j) COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or
         more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of
         which shall, taken together, be considered one and the same agreement.


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                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this
Agreement as of the date first above written.

                                            IMS HEALTH INCORPORATED

                                            By: /s/ Matthew L. Friedman
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Name: Matthew L. Friedman
                                                Title: Vice President

                                                SYNAVANT INC.

                                            By: /s/ James C. Malone
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Name: James C. Malone
                                                Title: Vice President


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