Exhibit 99 (a)



                           BERGEN BRUNSWIG CORPORATION
                 STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION


         The  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995  (the  "Act")
provides a "safe  harbor" for  "forward-looking  statements"  (as defined in the
Act).  The Form 10-K to which this  exhibit is  attached,  the Company' s Annual
Report  to  Shareowners,  any Form 10-Q or any Form 8-K of the  Company,  or any
other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company may include
forward-looking  statements which reflect the Company's  current view (as of the
date such  forward-looking  statement  is made) with  respect to future  events,
prospects,   projections  or  financial   performance.   These   forward-looking
statements  are subject to certain  uncertainties  and other  factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those made,  implied or projected
in such statements.  These uncertainties and other factors include,  but are not
limited to, uncertainties  relating to general economic conditions;  the loss of
one or more key customer or supplier relationships,  including pharmaceutical or
medical-surgical  manufacturers  for  which  alternative  supplies  may  not  be
available;  the malfunction or failure of the Company's information systems; the
costs  and  difficulties   related  to  the  integration  of  recently  acquired
businesses;  changes to the  presentation  of  financial  results  and  position
resulting from adoption of new  accounting  principles or upon the advice of the
Company's  independent  auditors,  or the staff of the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission;   changes  in  the   distribution   or   outsourcing   pattern   for
pharmaceutical or  medical-surgical  products,  including any increase in direct
distribution or decrease in contract packaging by pharmaceutical  manufacturers;
changes in, or failure to comply  with,  government  regulations;  the costs and
other effects of legal and administrative  proceedings;  competitive  factors in
the Company's  healthcare service businesses,  including pricing pressures;  the
continued  financial  viability  and  success  of the  Company's  customers  and
suppliers;  technological  developments  and  products  offered by  competitors;
failure to retain or continue to attract  senior  management  or key  personnel;
risks  associated  with  international  operations;  including  fluctuations  in
currency exchange ratios; successful challenges to the validity of the Company's
patents,   copyrights   and/or   trademarks;   difficulties  or  delays  in  the
development,  production and marketing of new products and services;  strikes or
other labor  disruptions;  labor and employee benefit costs;  pharmaceutical and
medical-surgical   manufacturers'   pricing   policies   and  overall  drug  and
medical-surgical  supply price  inflation;  changes in hospital buying groups or
hospital  buying  practices;  and other  factors  referenced in the Form 10-K to
which this  exhibit is attached or other  filings or written or oral  statements
made  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  Company.   The  words  "believe",   "expect",
"anticipate",  "project",  and  similar  expressions  identify  "forward-looking
statements", which speak only as of the date the statement was made. The Company
undertakes  no  obligation  to  publicly  update or revise  any  forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



                               EXH 99(a) - Page 1