Form: S-3

Registration statement for specified transactions by certain issuers

March 25, 2003

Published on March 25, 2003


EXHIBIT 12

Becton, Dickinson and Company
Calculation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

(All Amounts in Millions except for the Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges)


(Unaudited)
-------------
Three Months
Ended Dec 31, Year Ended September 30,
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2002 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998
------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------

Earnings:

Income Before Income Taxes and Cumulative
Effect of Change in Accounting Principle $149.0 $628.6 $576.8 $519.9 $372.7 $340.9

Undistributed (Earnings)/Losses of Less Than
50%-Owned Companies Carried at Equity - - - - - -

Net Capitalized Interest 1.2 (3.0) (17.1) (15.7) (6.4) 2.0

Fixed Charges 14.6 65.1 98.5 122.3 102.0 84.3
--------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------

Earnings as Adjusted $164.8 $690.7 $658.2 $626.5 $468.3 $427.2
=============== =========== =========== =========== =========== ==========


Fixed Charges:

Interest Cost (1) $12.9 $58.2 $90.2 $111.5 $91.4 $75.6

Interest Allocable to Rents (2) 1.6 6.6 7.9 10.4 10.1 8.1

Amortization of Debt Expense 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6
--------------- ----------- ----------- ------------ ----------- ----------

Fixed Charges $14.6 $65.1 $98.5 $122.3 $102.0 $84.3
=============== =========== =========== ============ =========== ==========


Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges 11.29 10.61 6.68 5.12 4.59 5.07
=============== =========== =========== ============ =========== ==========


(1) Includes interest expense and interest capitalized in accordance with FASB
Statement No. 34.

(2) Represents an appropriate portion of rental expense.