MADISON, N.J., April 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world's leader in cancer diagnostics, announced today that the company has received CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation™ from The CEO Roundtable on Cancer. This prestigious designation recognizes Quest Diagnostics for taking important actions to reduce the cancer risk of its employees and their families.

William C. Weldon, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson, chairs the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of cancer-fighting CEOs who created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading health non-profit organizations and professionals.

"We are pleased to recognize Quest Diagnostics' commitment to the fight against cancer, starting with improving the health and wellness of its own employees," said Weldon. "I hope the leadership and commitment demonstrated by Dr. Surya Mohapatra will encourage other CEOs to take a more active role in the health of their employees by becoming Gold Standard accredited."

CEO Roundtable executives work collaboratively to develop and implement initiatives that reduce the risk of cancer, enable early diagnosis, facilitate better access to best-available treatments, and hasten the discovery of novel and more effective diagnostic tools and anti-cancer therapies.

"Quest Diagnostics is proud to receive CEO Cancer Gold Standard distinction from the CEO Roundtable on Cancer," said Surya N. Mohapatra, Ph.D., Quest Diagnostics Chairman, CEO and President.  "Every day, our employees dedicate their focus and expertise to improved patient health, whether they are developing new cancer diagnostic innovations, transporting or analyzing a patient sample, or caring for patients at one of our 2000 patient service centers. We build a culture that encourages healthy lifestyles, and we implement programs that help detect disease early because we place tremendous value on our employees, their families, and their unwavering commitment to patient care."

The CEO Cancer Gold Standard is a series of cancer-related recommendations, developed by the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, to fight cancer in workplaces in the United States. The Gold Standard has three objectives that support the fight against cancer: risk reduction, early detection, and quality care.

Since 2005, the Quest Diagnostics HealthyQuest employee wellness initiative has focused on fostering a workplace culture that encourages healthy behaviors. To reduce the risk of lung cancer and other smoking-related illnesses, the company introduced a 100% subsidized tobacco cessation program, which to date has supported more than 4,000 participants in their fight to quit smoking. Annual business unit nutritional audits and the Shrink for Health HealthyQuest Weight Loss Challenge support and motivate employees toward healthy living, and employees have had the opportunity to participate in an array of fitness programs, including the HealthyQuest Pedometer Challenge, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training marathons, running and walking clubs, yoga classes, sports leagues, self-defense classes, bowling and golf tournaments, bike clubs and fitness safety programs.

At the heart of the HealthyQuest program is the company's Blueprint for Wellness™ health risk assessment service. The service is available at no charge to 42,000 domestic employees as well as their spouses or domestic partners, 36,000 of which participated in 2009. Each Blueprint for Wellness participant receives a patient-friendly report that includes laboratory test results, a health assessment and a health quotient score. An optional PSA test for the early detection of prostate cancer is offered as part of the Blueprint for Wellness service, and employees, spouses, and domestic partners age 50 and older, as well as those at any age considered to be at high risk for colorectal cancer, are offered the InSure® FIT™ fecal immunochemical test for colorectal cancer screening, 6,000 of which returned the test kit in 2009.

Quest Diagnostics offers employees intranet access to information on quality treatment options and clinical trials, and helps employees find quality healthcare providers through links to the Commission on Cancer accredited programs and the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.  Links are also provided for the National Cancer Institute home page as well as their website "Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies."

The CEO Cancer Gold Standard recognizes organizations that maintain a culture that encourages healthy lifestyles and provides the support needed when a diagnosis of cancer becomes a reality. Today, nearly one and a quarter million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited. For Quest Diagnostics, achieving this accreditation affirms that its employees receive the benefits and programs that help to prevent cancer, detect it earlier and provide access to high-quality treatment, including cancer clinical trials.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics is the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services that patients and doctors need to make better healthcare decisions. The company offers the broadest access to diagnostic testing services through its network of laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation through its extensive medical and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is a pioneer in developing innovative new diagnostic tests and advanced healthcare information technology solutions that help improve patient care. Additional company information is available at: www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

About The CEO Roundtable on Cancer

The CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to "do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families." The CEOs responded by creating and encouraging the widespread adoption of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard which calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and workplace culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to fight cancer in the workplace.  For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ and the web-based accreditation process and support, please visit www.CancerGoldStandard.org.

SOURCE Quest Diagnostics Incorporated