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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 S7krP4R/TworUU+EiR+LmPpnf9nTv3baxW5DENaSuZX1ZKY6j7deO2SP0eTETe1x
 2ispY5Dasm39n7Xor/jVLA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001161662-03-000021.txt : 20031217
<SEC-HEADER>0001161662-03-000021.hdr.sgml : 20031217
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031217174353
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001161662-03-000021
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031216
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031217

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000010456
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SURGICAL & MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & APPARATUS [3841]
		IRS NUMBER:				360781620
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BAXTER PKWY
		STREET 2:		DF2-2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8479482000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BAXTER PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		DF2-2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BAXTER TRAVENOL LABORATORIES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19880522

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BAXTER LABORATORIES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19760608

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RIEDEL NORBERT G
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001161662

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04448
		FILM NUMBER:		031060808

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC
		STREET 2:		ONE BAXTER PKWY DF2-2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8479482212

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC
		STREET 2:		ONE BAXTER PKWY DF2-2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-16</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000010456</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BAX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001161662</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RIEDEL NORBERT G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE BAXTER PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DEERFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60015</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Deferred Compensation Plan-Baxter Stock Fund </value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>I</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6960.7</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expir
ationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock $1 par value</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6960.7</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">one for one</footnote><footnote id="F2">Reporting person elected to allocate compensation deferred under Baxter's Deferred Compensation Plan (&quot;Plan&quot;), including compensation previously deferred into the Baxter Common Stock Fund notional investment alternative, to a benchmark investment alternative other than the Baxter Common Stock Fund, effective as of January 1, 2004.  The value of the reporting person's Plan accou
nt is based on the performance of the benchmark investment fund(s) selected by the reporting person.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Equal to the reporting person's Baxter Common Stock Fund account balance as of December 16, 2003, divided by $ 30.50 which was the closing stock price of Baxter common stock on December 16, 2003, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Reporting person's account balance under the Plan is payable in cash after termination of employment or on a future date designated in advance by the reporting person, subject to the terms of the Plan.  The reporting person may change investment elections quarterly.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>William M. Link, Attorney-in-Fact for Norbert G. Riedel</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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