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                                                                    Exhibit 23.6





     [Form of Consent of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated]





            We hereby consent to the use of our opinion letter dated March 26,
2001 to the Board of Directors of ALZA Corporation included as Annex 4 to the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus which forms a part of the Registration Statement on
Form S-4 relating to the proposed merger of ALZA Corporation with and into
Johnson & Johnson and to the references to such opinion in such Proxy
Statement/Prospectus under the captions "Summary", "The Merger-Background to the
Merger", "The Merger-Reasons for the Merger and Recommendation of the ALZA Board
of Directors" and "The Merger-Opinions of JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith Incorporated". In giving such consent, we do not admit and we
hereby disclaim that we come within the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules
and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, nor do we
thereby admit that we are experts with respect to any part of such Registration
Statement within the meaning of the term "experts" as used in the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission thereunder.


                                           MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &
                                                 SMITH INCORPORATED


                                           By:____________________________





________, 2001