8-K

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

                              FORM 8K

         Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


   Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 1,2004


                         JOHNSON & JOHNSON

      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        New Jersey             1-3215         22-1024240

     (State or other        (Commission    (I.R.S. Employer
     jurisdiction           File Number)   Identification No.)
     of incorporation)


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

          (Address of principal executive offices)  (zip code)


 Registrant's telephone number including area code: (732) 524-0400

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended
to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant
under any of the following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
    (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
    (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))






Item 8.01. Other Events

On December 1, 2004, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research &
Development, L.L.C., a Johnson & Johnson company, issued a press
release indicating that it is discontinuing its current clinical
development program for its controlled release formulation of
topiramate in obesity and type 2 diabetes.


Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

   9.01(c)     Exhibits:

   Exhibit Number 99.17: Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical
Research & Development, L.L.C. Press Release dated December 1,
2004.




                       SIGNATURE



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                              JOHNSON & JOHNSON




Date: December 2, 2004        By: /s/ Michael H. Ullmann
                              Michael H. Ullmann
                              Corporate Secretary

EX-99.17 (AS APPROP)

 JOHNSON & JOHNSON PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, L.L.C.
DISCONTINUES CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR CONTROLLED RELEASE
        FORMULATION OF TOPIRAMATE IN OBESITY AND DIABETES

RARITAN,  N.J., Dec 1, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/  --
Johnson  & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development,  L.L.C.
(J&JPRD), a Johnson & Johnson company, announced today that it is
discontinuing  the current clinical development program  for  its
controlled release formulation of topiramate in obesity and  type
2 diabetes.

A  controlled  release formulation of topiramate was specifically
developed for study in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes  to
potentially simplify dosing and enhance the compound's profile in
order to create a better treatment option for patients. Data from
a  recently completed phase II clinical study with the controlled
release  formulation  of topiramate showed  that  the  controlled
release  formulation  did not provide significant  advantages  in
this  population compared to previously conducted  studies  using
the immediate release formulation.

This decision is not based on any new safety information and does
not   impact  the  use  of  topiramate,  marketed  as  TOPAMAX(R)
(topiramate  /  topiramate capsules), in  any  currently-approved
indications  or  clinical development programs  underway.  J&JPRD
remains  committed  to developing innovative  medicines  for  the
treatment of metabolic disease.

TOPAMAX(R)    is   marketed   in   the   U.S.   by   Ortho-McNeil
Pharmaceutical,  Inc.,  a  Johnson  &  Johnson  company,  and  is
approved  to  treat various types of epileptic seizures  in  more
than  95  countries, and for the prevention of migraine headaches
in  more  than 28 countries. For more information on  TOPAMAX(R),
please see full prescribing information or visit http://www.ortho-
mcneil.com.
Based  in  Raritan, New Jersey, Johnson & Johnson  Pharmaceutical
Research and Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD) conducts pharmaceutical
research  and  development  for the pharmaceutical  companies  of
Johnson & Johnson.

(This  press  release  contains "forward-looking  statements"  as
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of  1995.
These  statements  are  based on current expectations  of  future
events.  If  underlying assumptions prove inaccurate  or  unknown
risks  or  uncertainties materialize, actual results  could  vary
materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Risks
and   uncertainties  include  general  industry  conditions   and
competition;  economic  conditions, such  as  interest  rate  and
currency  exchange rate fluctuations; technological advances  and
patents  attained  by  competitors; challenges  inherent  in  new
product  development,  including obtaining regulatory  approvals;
domestic  and  foreign health care reforms and governmental  laws
and  regulations; and trends toward health care cost containment.
A  further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and
other  factors  can be found in Exhibit 99(b)  of  the  Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 28,
2003.   Copies  of  this  Form  10-K  are  available  online   at
http://www.sec.gov  or on request from the Company.  The  Company
assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as
a result of new information or future events or developments.)