Abbott to Separate into Two Leading Companies in Diversified Medical Products and Research-Based Pharmaceuticals (y 2)

This announcement will not impact Abbott's ongoing earnings-per-share guidance for 2011. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of next year, but is subject to final approval by the Abbott board of directors, receipt of a favorable ruling from the Internal Revenue Service on the tax-free nature of the transaction, and the effectiveness of a Form 10 registration statement that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that will include information about the distribution and related matters. Abbott expects to incur one-time charges related to the transaction during the periods preceding the separation, to be quantified at a later date.

Abbott Conference Call

Abbott will discuss the transaction on its earnings conference call today at 8 a.m. Central time; 9 a.m. Eastern time. The live Web cast will be accessible through Abbott's Investor Relations Web site at http://www.abbottinvestor.com.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com.

--Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -

A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the planned separation of the research-based pharmaceutical company from the diversified medical products company and the expected financial results of the two companies after the separation. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, and there is no assurance as to the timing of the planned separation or whether it will be completed. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott's operations are discussed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," to our Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2010, and in the interim reports filed on Form 10-Q for subsequent quarterly periods, and are incorporated by reference. Abbott undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments.

CONTACT: Media, Melissa Brotz, +1-847-935-3456, or Scott Stoffel,+1-847-935-6902, or Financial, Larry Peepo, +1-847-935-6722, or TinaVentura, +1-847-935-9390, or Elizabeth Shea, +1-847-935-2211, all of Abbott