BERGEN BRUNSWIG CORP
POS AM, 1999-03-26
DRUGS, PROPRIETARIES & DRUGGISTS' SUNDRIES
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     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March ___, 1999

                           Registration No. 333-63441
                                ---------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                 --------------
                         POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 3
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                 -------------
                           BERGEN BRUNSWIG CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

       New Jersey                                    22-1444512
(State or other jurisdiction of                   (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                   Identification No.)

                             4000 Metropolitan Drive
                          Orange, California 92868-3598
                                 (714) 385-4000
                   (Address, including zip code, and telephone
                  number, including area code, of Registrant's
                          principal executive offices)
                                 -------------

                                 MILAN A. SAWDEI
           Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
                             4000 Metropolitan Drive
                          Orange, California 92868-3510
                                 (714) 385-4255

                (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone
                    number, including area code, of agent for
                                service) 
                                 -------------

                                    Copy to:
                            Peter H. Ehrenberg, Esq.
                              Lowenstein Sandler PC
                              65 Livingston Avenue
                           Roseland, New Jersey 07068
                                 ---------------

Approximate  date of commencement  of proposed sale to the public:  From time to
time after the effective date of this Registration  Statement,  as determined by
the Selling Shareholders. See "Selling Shareholders".

If the only securities  being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant
to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: [ ]|

If any of the  securities  being  registered on this Form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the  Securities  Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box: [X]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list
the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number of the  earlier  effective
registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under
the  Securities  Act,  check  the  following  box and  list the  Securities  Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. [ ]

If delivery  of the  prospectus  is  expected  to be made  pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box: [ ]


<PAGE>


                           BERGEN BRUNSWIG CORPORATION

                                 980,284 Shares
                              Class A Common Stock
                                 $1.50 Par Value

                                  INTRODUCTION

This Prospectus relates to up to 980,284 shares of the Class A Common Stock, par
value $1.50 per share (the "Common Stock"), of Bergen Brunswig  Corporation (the
"Company"),  which will be offered by certain  shareholders of the Company.  See
"Selling Shareholders".

The shares of Common  Stock  offered  hereby  were  issued by the Company to the
shareholders  of The Lash  Group,  Inc.,  a Delaware  corporation  ("Lash"),  in
exchange for their shares of Lash common stock,  $0.01 par value,  in connection
with the merger of Lash and a wholly-owned acquisition subsidiary of the Company
on August 31, 1998. The shares  offered hereby will be sold by the  shareholders
of the  Company  who  were  formerly  shareholders  of Lash  (collectively,  the
"Selling  Shareholders").  This Prospectus does not purport to cover the initial
issuance  by the  Company,  but only the  resale of such  shares by the  Selling
Shareholders.  The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of
the  shares  of  Common  Stock  by  the  Selling   Shareholders.   See  "Selling
Shareholders".

The Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.  The shares of Common
Stock offered hereby are offered without  underwriters at the market price (that
is, at the price in effect on the New York Stock Exchange at the time of sale by
the Selling  Shareholders).  On March ___,  1999, the closing sales price of the
Common  Stock on the New York Stock  Exchange  was  $_________  per  share.  The
Company will bear all expenses in connection with the registration of the Common
Stock being registered hereby,  which expenses are estimated to be approximately
$12,500. The Selling Shareholders will pay all brokerage commissions incurred in
connection with the sale of shares of Common Stock at the market.

THESE  SECURITIES  HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR  DISAPPROVED  BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES  COMMISSION,  NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION  PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.





                 The date of this Prospectus is March ___, 1999




<PAGE>


No  person  has  been  authorized  to  give  any  information  or  to  make  any
representations  other than as contained in this  Prospectus in connection  with
the  offer  made  hereby,   and,  if  given  or  made,   such   information   or
representations  must  not be  relied  upon as  having  been  authorized  by the
Company.  The  delivery of this  Prospectus  at any time does not imply that the
information herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date hereof. This
Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell  securities in any  jurisdiction
to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer in such jurisdiction.

                              AVAILABLE INFORMATION

The  Company is  subject to the  informational  requirements  of the  Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and, in  accordance
therewith,  files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission").  Reports,  proxy statements and other information
filed by the  Company  can be  inspected  and  copied  at the  public  reference
facilities  maintained by the  Commission  at its principal  office at 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Room 1024,  Washington,  D.C. 20549, and at the following Regional
Offices of the Commission:  New York Regional Office, 7 World Trade Center, 13th
Floor, New York, New York 10048,  and Chicago Regional Office,  Citicorp Center,
500 West Madison, Suite 1400, Chicago,  Illinois 60661. Copies of such materials
can also be obtained from the Public Reference  Section of the Commission at 450
Fifth  Street,  N. W.,  Washington,  D.C.  20549 at prescribed  rates,  or, with
respect to certain of such materials,  through the  Commission's  World Wide Web
site  (http://www.sec.gov).  Reports,  proxy  statements  and other  information
concerning  the  Company  may also be  inspected  at the offices of the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc., at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

The Company has filed with the Commission a  registration  statement on Form S-3
(the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities  Act"),  with respect to the Common Stock.  This  Prospectus,  which
constitutes  a part of the  Registration  Statement,  does not  contain  all the
information set forth in the Registration Statement,  certain items of which are
contained in schedules and exhibits to the  Registration  Statement as permitted
by  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Commission.  Statements  made  in the
Prospectus  concerning the contents of any documents  referred to herein are not
necessarily  complete.  With  respect  to each  such  document  filed  with  the
Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, reference is made to the
exhibit for a more complete description, and each such statement shall be deemed
qualified in its entirely by such reference.

                 INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

There are  incorporated  herein by  reference  the  following  documents  of the
Company heretofore filed by it with the Commission:

                      (a) Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal  year ended
                      September 30, 1998, as amended;

                      (b) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
                      December 31, 1998;

                      (c) Current  Reports on Form 8-K dated  November 12, 1998,
                      January 13, 1999 and January 26, 1999;

                      (d)  Definitive  Proxy  Statement  on  Schedule  14A dated
                      August 21, 1998; and

                      (e) The  description  of the  Company's  Common  Stock set
                      forth in the  Registration  Statement on Form 8-A filed by
                      the  Company  with the  Commission  on  October  20,  1993
                      pursuant  to  Section  12 of the  Exchange  Act,  and  any
                      amendment  or report filed for the purpose of updating any
                      such description.

All documents  filed by the Company  pursuant to Sections  13(a),  13(c),  14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior to
the termination of this offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
into this  Prospectus.  Any statement  contained in a document  incorporated  or
deemed to be incorporated by reference  herein shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded  for  purposes  of this  Prospectus  to the extent  that a  statement
contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  herein  modifies or  supersedes  such
statement.  Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,  except
as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.

The Company will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial
owner of Common Stock,  to whom this  Prospectus  is delivered,  upon written or
oral request of such person,  a copy of any and all of the  documents  that have
been  incorporated by reference in this  Prospectus  (not including  exhibits to
such documents unless such exhibits are specifically,  incorporated by reference
therein).  Requests  should be directed  to Bergen  Brunswig  Corporation,  4000
Metropolitan Drive, Orange, California 92868-3510,  Attention:  Milan A. Sawdei,
Secretary; telephone number (714) 385-4255.

<PAGE>

                                   THE COMPANY

Bergen Brunswig Corporation, formed in 1956, and its subsidiaries (collectively,
the "Company") are a diversified drug and health care distribution  organization
and, as such, the nation's  largest supplier of  pharmaceuticals  to the managed
care market and the second largest wholesaler to the retail pharmacy market. The
Company  is one of the  largest  pharmaceutical  distributors  to  provide  both
pharmaceuticals and medical-surgical supplies on a national basis.

The Company is incorporated in New Jersey and maintains its principal  executive
offices at 4000 Metropolitan Drive, Orange, California 92868-3510; telephone
(714) 385-4000.

                              SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

On August 31, 1998, the Company,  L-B Acquisition  Corp. (the  "Subsidiary") and
Lash entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Agreement"). Pursuant to
the terms of the  Agreement,  the  Subsidiary was merged with and into Lash (the
"Merger") and the shareholders of Lash received, in exchange for their shares of
Lash common stock,  shares of Common Stock. Upon completion of the closing,  the
Company and Lash filed a  Certificate  of Merger with the  Secretary of State of
Delaware and the Merger became  effective as of August 31, 1998 (the  "Effective
Time").  On December 1, 1998,  the Company  effected a  two-for-one  stock split
applicable  to holders of the  Company's  Common  Stock on November 2, 1998 (the
"Split").  As holders of record on  November 2, 1998,  the Selling  Shareholders
participated in the Split. Pursuant to the Agreement:

                      (i) at the Effective Time, the Company issued an aggregate
                      of 980,284  (post-Split)  shares of Common Stock,  882,264
                      (post-Split)  of which  were  issued  in the  names of the
                      Selling  Shareholders  free of escrow and in proportion to
                      their  respective  ownership  interests in Lash and 98,020
                      (post-Split)  of which were  delivered  to an escrow agent
                      (the "Escrow Agent"); and

                      (ii) the  Escrow  Agent is  required  to return  shares of
                      Common  Stock to the  Company  in the event  that  certain
                      indemnification   claims  are  made  by  the  Company,  as
                      described in the Agreement.


No more than 980,284 (post-Split) shares of Common Stock, in the aggregate, will
be issued in connection with the Merger.

<PAGE>

The following table sets forth  information as to the number of shares of Common
Stock that will be beneficially owned by the Selling Shareholders,  each of whom
will own less  than one  percent  (1%) of the  outstanding  Common  Stock of the
Company,  assuming that a total of 980,284  (post-Split) shares of Common Stock,
including  all those shares  initially  delivered to the Escrow  Agent,  will be
delivered to the Selling Shareholders as described above.

                                                          Number of Shares Owned
Selling Shareholder                                           Before Offering*
- -------------------                                       ----------------------
L. Michael Costa                                                     25,828
Patricia B. Cushnie                                                  60,208
Peyton R. Howell                                                     79,788
Myles P. Lash                                                       517,578
N. Dee Mahan                                                         24,222
John J. Marsh, III                                                  146,156
Tracy L. Ott                                                          7,398
W. William Ward, Jr.                                                119,106


*All numbers have been  adjusted to reflect the Split.  It is  anticipated  that
upon  completion of this  offering,  the Selling  Shareholders  will not own any
shares  of  Common  Stock.  Prior to the  Effective  Time,  none of the  Selling
Shareholders  had  ever  held  any  position  or  office  or  had  any  material
relationship with the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
<PAGE>

                                 MANNER OF SALE

The Common  Stock is listed on the New York Stock  Exchange.  It is  anticipated
that the Selling Shareholders will sell the shares of Common Stock at the market
(that is, at the price in effect on the New York Stock  Exchange  at the time of
sale to investors).  Sales will be effected by registered  broker/dealers on the
New York Stock Exchange.

                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

The Company will not receive any  proceeds  from the sale of Common Stock by the
Selling Shareholders.

                           FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

The Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of 1995 (the  "Act")  provides a
"safe harbor" for  "forward-looking  statements"  (as defined in the Act).  This
Prospectus  incorporates by reference  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  health care
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 documents  incorporated by reference herein. 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.

<PAGE>

                               RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

         On December 31, 1998, Bergen Brunswig Corporation  ("Bergen") completed
the  acquisition  of  substantially  all of the  business,  assets and property,
subject  to  certain  liabilities,  of  Medical  Initiatives,  Inc.  ("MII"),  a
pre-filler of pharmaceuticals for oncology centers,  located in Tampa,  Florida.
Bergen issued  approximately  210,000 shares of Bergen Common Stock,  previously
held as treasury shares,  valued at approximately $6.3 million,  acquired assets
at  fair  value  of   approximately   $1.2  million,   assumed   liabilities  of
approximately $0.7 million and incurred costs of $0.2 million.

          On January 21, 1999,  Bergen  completed the acquisition of Stadtlander
Drug  Company,  Inc.  ("Stadtlander"),  a  national  leader in  disease-specific
pharmaceutical care delivery for transplant, HIV, infertility and serious mental
illness patient populations and a leading provider of pharmaceutical care to the
privatized corrections market, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Bergen
paid approximately  $197.3 million in cash and issued  approximately 5.7 million
shares of Bergen Common Stock,  previously  held as Treasury  shares,  valued at
approximately  $140.8 million,  and assumed indebtedness of approximately $100.9
million.

          A United States federal  investigation  of Stadtlander with respect to
possible  violations of the Medicare  provisions  of the Social  Security Act is
being conducted.  The activities under  investigation  predated the ownership of
Stadtlander  by Counsel  Corporation  ("Counsel").  Bergen has been advised that
while  owned by  Counsel,  Stadtlander  cooperated  fully  with the  authorities
investigating  this  matter.  Stadtlander  has also been named as a defendant in
legal  proceedings  commenced in the U.S.  District Court,  Northern District of
Texas, Dallas Division,  asserting,  among other things, that by entering into a
transaction  with a third-party,  Stadtlander  interfered  with the  plaintiff's
relationship with that third-party.  This proceeding is in a preliminary  stage.
In addition,  Stadtlander is a 49% equity owner of a limited  liability  company
formed  for  the  purpose,   among  other  things,   of  operating  a  specialty
pharmaceutical business to provide services to patients diagnosed with a serious
mental  illness.  This  limited  liability  company is governed by an  operating
agreement that contains,  among other things, a covenant prohibiting the members
from  participating  in certain  competing  activities.  The other member of the
limited liability company has asserted that upon consummation of the merger of a
wholly owned subsidiary of Bergen with and into PharMerica Inc.  ("PharMerica"),
PharMerica  would be  subject to the  non-compete  provisions  of the  operating
agreement  unless  certain  activities  currently  performed by PharMerica  were
performed through the limited liability company.  Bergen disputes this position.
Counsel has agreed to provide certain  indemnification to Bergen with respect to
each of the matters described in this paragraph.

          On February 10, 1999,  Bergen completed the acquisition of 100% of the
capital stock of J.M.  Blanco,  Inc.  ("J.M.  Blanco"),  Puerto  Rico's  largest
pharmaceutical distributor,  headquartered in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The Company
paid approximately $29.7 million in cash and assumed approximately $22.2 million
in debt.

          The  purchase   prices  of  the  MII,   Stadtlander  and  J.M.  Blanco
acquisitions, to be accounted for as purchases for financial reporting purposes,
are subject to adjustments after the completion of acquisition audits.


                                     EXPERTS

The  consolidated  financial  statements  of the  Company  incorporated  in this
Prospectus  by reference  to the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended  September  30,  1998,  have been audited by Deloitte & Touche
LLP,  independent  auditors,  as stated in their report,  which is  incorporated
herein by reference,  and have been so  incorporated in reliance upon the report
of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.


<PAGE>


                                     PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.  Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

Securities and Exchange Commission
           registration fee......................................        $ 5,323
Legal fees and expenses..........................................          4,000
Accounting fees and expenses.....................................          2,500
Miscellaneous expenses...........................................            677
                                                                            ----

             Total...............................................        $12,500
                                                                         =======

No portion of the foregoing expenses will be borne by the Selling Shareholders.

All expenses other than the Securities and Exchange Commission  registration fee
are estimated.

Item 15.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Under the Company's Restated  Certificate of Incorporation,  every person who is
or was a  director,  officer,  employee  or agent of the  Company  and the legal
representative of such a person is entitled to receive  indemnification from the
Company to the fullest extent permitted by law. Under New Jersey law,  directors
and officers may be indemnified in certain situations,  subject to the Company's
having taken certain  actions and the directors and officers  having met certain
specified standards of conduct. In addition, in April, 1986, the Company entered
into  agreements,  which  were  amended  on  July  3,  1986  (collectively,  the
"Indemnity  Agreement"),  to indemnify each of its directors against liabilities
and defense  costs to the extent  that such  directors  would have been  insured
under the director and officer liability insurance policies which were in effect
on December 31, 1984 (the "1984 Policy").  The 1984 Policy afforded the broadest
coverage for  liabilities  arising under ERISA and the securities and anti-trust
laws.  The obligation of the Company to indemnify a director under the Indemnity
Agreement is limited to $30 million,  the maximum  coverage  available under the
1984 Policy.  However, the Indemnity Agreement does not limit a director's right
to  recover  in  excess of $30  million  from the  Company  if the  director  is
otherwise  entitled to statutory  indemnification.  The Indemnity  Agreement was
ratified by the shareowners at the annual meeting held on December 17, 1986. The
Company  currently  maintains a directors' and officers'  insurance policy which
provides liability coverage with respect to its directors and officers.

In addition, the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation  eliminates the
personal  liability of directors and officers to the Company and its shareowners
for monetary  damages for acts or  omissions  (including  negligent  and grossly
negligent acts or omissions) in violation of a director's or officer's fiduciary
duty of care.  The duty of care  refers to a  fiduciary  duty of  directors  and
officers to manage the  affairs of the  Company  with the same degree of care as
would be applied by an "ordinarily prudent person under similar  circumstances".
The  provisions of the Company's  Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation  which
eliminate  the personal  liability of directors and officers do not, in any way,
eliminate or limit the liability of a director or officer for breaching his duty
of loyalty (i.e., the duty to refrain from fraud,  self-dealing and transactions
involving  improper  conflicts of  interest) to the Company or its  shareowners,
failing to act in good faith, knowingly violating a law or obtaining an improper
personal  benefit and do not have any effect on the  availability  of  equitable
remedies.

See also the undertakings set forth in response to item 17 herein.

Item 16.  Exhibits

             4.1*     Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Bergen Brunswig
                      Corporation, dated November 13, 1998.

                                     II - 1


<PAGE>


          4.2* By-laws of Bergen Brunswig Corporation,  as amended and restated,
               dated November 13, 1998.

          4.3* Rights  Agreement,  dated as of  February  8, 1994,  between  the
               Registrant and Chemical  Trust Company of  California,  as Rights
               Agent, is  incorporated  by reference  herein to Exhibit 1 to the
               Registrant's  Registration  Statement on Form 8-A dated  February
               14, 1994.

          5.1* Opinion of Lowenstein Sandler PC.

          23.1** Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

          23.2* Consent of Lowenstein Sandler PC is included in Exhibit 5.1.

          24.1* Power of Attorney.


- -------------------------------
* Previously filed.
** Filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 3.


Item 17.  Undertakings

           The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

           A. To file,  during  any  period  in which  offers or sales are being
           made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                      (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
                      of the  Securities  Act of 1933 (the  "Act"),  unless  the
                      foregoing  information  is contained  in periodic  reports
                      filed  with  or  furnished  to  the   Commission   by  the
                      Registrant   pursuant  to  Section  13  or  15(d)  of  the
                      Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") that
                      are   incorporated  by  reference  in  this   Registration
                      Statement; and

                      (ii) to  reflect  in the  prospectus  any  facts or events
                      arising  after  the  effective  date of this  Registration
                      Statement  (or the most  recent  post-effective  amendment
                      thereof)   which,   individually   or  in  the  aggregate,
                      represent  a  fundamental  change in the  information  set
                      forth in this Registration Statement, unless the foregoing
                      information is contained in periodic reports filed with or
                      furnished to the Commission by the Registrant  pursuant to
                      Section  13  or  15(d)  of  the   Exchange  Act  that  are
                      incorporated by reference in this Registration  Statement;
                      and

                      (iii) to include any material  information with respect to
                      the plan of distribution not previously  disclosed in this
                      Registration  Statement  or any  material  change  to such
                      information in the Registration Statement.

           B. That, for the purpose of determining  any liability under the Act,
           each  such  post-effective  amendment  shall  be  deemed  to be a new
           registration  statement  relating to the securities  offered therein,
           and the offering of such  securities  at that time shall be deemed to
           be the initial bona fide offering thereof;


                                     II - 2


<PAGE>


           C. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
           any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
           termination of the offering.

           D. That for purposes of determining any liability under the Act, each
           filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
           Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing
           of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d)
           of the  Exchange  Act)  that is  incorporated  by  reference  in this
           Registration  Statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  Registration
           Statement  relating  to  the  securities  offered  therein,  and  the
           offering  of such  securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the
           initial bona fide offering thereof.

           E. That insofar as indemnification  for liabilities arising under the
           Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons
           of the  Registrant  pursuant to the  provisions  described in Item 15
           above,  or  otherwise,  the  Registrant  has been advised that in the
           opinion   of   the   Securities   and   Exchange    Commission   such
           indemnification  is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
           is,  therefore,   unenforceable.  In  the  event  that  a  claim  for
           indemnification  against such liabilities  (other than the payment by
           the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
           controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any
           action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or
           controlling   person  in  connection   with  the   securities   being
           registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
           the matter has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a
           court  of  appropriate   jurisdiction   the  question   whether  such
           indemnification  by it is against  public  policy as expressed in the
           Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                     II - 3


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  the  registrant
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe  that it meets all of the
requirements  for  filing on Form S-3 and has duly  caused  this  Post-Effective
Amendment No. 3 to the Registration  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto  duly  authorized,  in the  City  of  Orange,  State  of
California, on the 23rd day of March, 1999.

                                               BERGEN BRUNSWIG CORPORATION

                                               By: /s/ Milan A. Sawdei          
                                                   -----------------------
                                                       Milan A. Sawdei,
                                                       Executive Vice President

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this  Post-Effective
Amendment  No. 3 to the  Registration  Statement  has been  signed  below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

/s/  Robert E. Martini*                Chairman of the            March 23, 1999
- -------------------------              Board and Director
     Robert E. Martini                 

/s/  Donald R. Roden*                  President, Chief           March 23, 1999
- -----------------------
     Donald R. Roden                   Executive Officer
                                       and Director

/s/ Neil F. Dimick*                    Executive Vice President,  March 23, 1999
- ------------------------               Chief Financial Officer
    Neil F. Dimick                     and Director (Principal
                                       Financial Officer and
                                       Principal Accounting Officer)

/s/  Jose E. Blanco, Sr.*              Director                   March 23, 1999
- ----------------------------
     Jose E. Blanco, Sr.

/s/  Rodney H. Brady*                  Director                   March 23, 1999
- ------------------------
     Rodney H. Brady

/s/  Charles C. Edwards, M.D.*         Director                   March 23, 1999
- -----------------------------
     Charles C. Edwards, M.D.

/s/  Charles J. Lee*                   Director                   March 23, 1999
- -----------------------
     Charles J. Lee

/s/  George R. Liddle*              Director                      March 23, 1999
- -------------------------
     George R. Liddle

/s/  James R. Mellor*               Director                      March 23, 1999
- ------------------------
     James R. Mellor

/s/  George E. Reinhardt, Jr.*      Director                      March 23, 1999
- ---------------------------------
     George E. Reinhardt, Jr.

/s/  Francis G. Rodgers*            Director                      March 23, 1999
- ---------------------------
     Francis G. Rodgers

*By: /s/ Milan A. Sawdei   
     ----------------------
     Milan A. Sawdei,
     Attorney-in-Fact
                                     II - 4


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

       4.1*   Restated   Certificate  of   Incorporation   of  Bergen   Brunswig
              Corporation, dated November 13, 1998.

       4.2*   By-laws of Bergen Brunswig  Corporation,  as amended and restated,
              dated November 13, 1998.

       4.3*   Rights  Agreement,  dated as of  February  8,  1994,  between  the
              Registrant  and Chemical  Trust Company of  California,  as Rights
              Agent,  is  incorporated  by reference  herein to Exhibit 1 to the
              Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated February 14,
              1994.

       5.1*   Opinion of Lowenstein Sandler PC.


       23.1** Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

       23.2*  Consent of Lowenstein Sandler PC is included in Exhibit 5.1.

       24.1*  Power of Attorney.


- -------------------------------
* Previously filed.
** Filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 3.




                                  Exhibit 23.1

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the  incorporation by reference in this  Post-Effective  Amendment
No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-63441 of Bergen Brunswig Corporation
on Form S-3 of our report dated October 30, 1998, appearing in the Annual Report
on Form 10-K of Bergen Brunswig  Corporation for the fiscal year ended September
30,  1998,  and to the  reference to us under the  "Experts" in the  Prospectus,
which is part of such Registration Statement.

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Costa Mesa, California
March 23, 1999




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