<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-5.1
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>ex5-1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>OPINION
<TEXT>


                                                                     Exhibit 5.1

                        [Letterhead of Johnson & Johnson]



                                                               November 29, 2001



Johnson & Johnson
One Johnson & Johnson Plaza
New Brunswick, NJ 08933

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

          I am Associate General Counsel of Johnson & Johnson, a New Jersey
corporation (the "Company"), and I am familiar with the Post-Effective Amendment
No. 1 on Form S-8 to Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-4
(Registration No. 333-67370) (as so amended, the "Registration Statement") being
filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to an aggregate of 2,758,151 shares
of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company ("Company Common
Stock"), which will be issuable upon the exercise of stock options granted under
the Selfcare, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the Selfcare, Inc. 1992 Stock
Plan, the Selfcare, Inc. 1994 Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, the
Selfcare, Inc. Amended and Restated 1996 Stock Option and Grant Plan, the Stock
Option Grants to Keith May, Jerome McAleer and David Scott, the Inverness
Medical Technology, Inc. Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Option and Grant Plan,
the Integ Incorporated (formerly Inomet, Inc.) 1990 Incentive and Stock Option
Plan, the Integ Incorporated (formerly Inomet, Inc.) 1991 Incentive and Stock
Option Plan, the Integ Incorporated 1994 Long-Term Incentive and Stock Option
Plan and the Integ Incorporated 1996 Directors' Stock Option Plan (collectively,
the "Plans"), which have been assumed by the Company in connection with the
merger of Sunrise Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Company ("Merger Sub"), with and into Inverness Medical
Technology, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Inverness"), pursuant to the terms of
the Agreement and Plan of Split-off and Merger dated as of May 23, 2001, among
the Company, Merger Sub and Inverness.

          I have reviewed the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
and By-laws and such other corporate records of the Company and documents and
certificates of public officials and others as I have deemed necessary as bases
for the opinion hereinafter expressed. I am licensed to practice law in the
State of New Jersey, the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, and the
opinion hereinafter expressed is based solely on the internal laws of the State
of New Jersey.

          Based on the foregoing and having regard for such legal considerations
as I deem relevant, I am of the opinion that the shares of Common Stock covered
by the Registration Statement when issued upon the exercise of stock options
under the Plans will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

          I hereby consent to the use of my name under the caption "Interests of
Named Experts and Counsel" in the Registration Statement and to the use of this
opinion as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement.


                                             Very truly yours,


                                             /s/ Joseph S. Orban
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Name:   Joseph S. Orban
                                             Title:  Associate General Counsel



</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
