UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                 Amendment No. 1



                         United Therapeutics Corporation
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)



                          Common Stock, $0.01 par value
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    91307C102
                  --------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)




                               December 31, 2003
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the  appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

[X] Rule 13d-1(b)

[_] Rule 13d-1(c)

[_] Rule 13d-1(d)



                                Page 1 of 5 pages


-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 91307C102                   13G
-----------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   Name of Reporting Person
      I.R.S. Identification No. of above Person

           Goldman, Sachs & Co.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3.   SEC Use Only



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization

           New York

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5.   Sole Voting Power

     Number of                 0

      Shares        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     6.   Shared Voting Power
   Beneficially
                               713,229
     Owned by
                    ----------------------------------------------------------
       Each          7.   Sole Dispositive Power

    Reporting                  0

      Person        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     8.   Shared Dispositive Power
       With:
                               713,229

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9.   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

           713,229

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

           3.3%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   Type of Reporting Person

           BD-PN-IA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                Page 2 of 5 pages


-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 91307C102                   13G
-----------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   Name of Reporting Person
      I.R.S. Identification No. of above Person

           The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3.   SEC Use Only



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization

           Delaware

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5.   Sole Voting Power

     Number of                 0

      Shares        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     6.   Shared Voting Power
   Beneficially
                               713,229
     Owned by
                    ----------------------------------------------------------
       Each          7.   Sole Dispositive Power

    Reporting                  0

      Person        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     8.   Shared Dispositive Power
       With:
                               713,229

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9.   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

           713,229

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

           3.3%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   Type of Reporting Person

           HC-CO

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                Page 3 of 5 pages

-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 91307C102                   13G
-----------------------
Item 4.            Ownership.*

          (a).     Amount beneficially owned:
                   See the response(s) to Item  9 on the attached cover page(s).

          (b).     Percent of Class:
                   See the response(s) to Item 11 on the attached cover page(s).

          (c).     Number of shares as to which such person has:

                   (i).     Sole power to  vote or to direct  the vote:  See the
                            response(s) to Item 5 on the attached cover page(s).

                   (ii).    Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:  See the
                            response(s) to Item 6 on the attached cover page(s).

                   (iii).   Sole power to  dispose or to direct  the disposition
                            of:  See the response(s) to  Item 7  on the attached
                            cover page(s).

                   (iv).    Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                            of:  See the response(s) to  Item 8  on the attached
                            cover page(s).

Item 5.            Ownership  of  Five  Percent or  Less  of  a  Class.
                   If this  statement is being filed to report the fact that
                   as of the date hereof the reporting  persons have ceased
                   to be the beneficial owners of more than five percent of
                   the class of securities, check the following [X].

Item 10.           Certification.
                   By signing  below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
                   and belief,  the  securities  referred to above were acquired
                   and are held in the ordinary  course of business and were not
                   acquired  and are not  held  for the  purpose  of or with the
                   effect of changing or  influencing  the control of the issuer
                   of the  securities  and were not acquired and are not held in
                   connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
                   that purpose or effect.


--------------------------
         * In accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")
Release No.  34-39538  (January 12, 1998),  this filing  reflects the securities
beneficially  owned by the investment  banking  division  ("IBD") of The Goldman
Sachs Group,  Inc. and its  subsidiaries and affiliates  (collectively,  "GSG").
This filing does not reflect securities, if any, beneficially owned by any other
operating  unit of GSG. IBD  disclaims  beneficial  ownership of the  securities
beneficially  owned by (i) any client  accounts with respect to which IBD or its
employees  have  voting  or  investment  discretion,  or both and  (ii)  certain
investment  entities,  of which IBD is the  general  partner,  managing  general
partner or other manager,  to the extent  interests in such entities are held by
persons other than IBD.



                              Page 4 of 5 pages



                                    SIGNATURE


            After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge
            and belief,  I certify that the information set forth in
            this statement is true, complete and correct.


Date:  February 12, 2004


                                 THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP, INC.


                                 By: /s/ Roger S. Begelman
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:   Roger S. Begelman
                                 Title:  Attorney-in-fact




                                 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.


                                 By: /s/ Roger S. Begelman
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:   Roger S. Begelman
                                 Title:  Attorney-in-fact



                              Page 5 of 5 pages