content: <PAGE>
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  August 17, 2001
                                                    ---------------
  
  
                            BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
             New Jersey                001-4802                   22-0760120
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (State or other juris-         (Commission             (IRS Employer Iden-
     diction of incorporation)       File Number)            tification Number)
  
  
     1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey                   07417-1880
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)
  
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code          (201) 847-6800
                                                              --------------
  
                                         N/A
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former addresses if changed since last report.)
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
  Item 9.      REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE
               ------------------------
  
               The following statement is being furnished by the Company under the
               provisions of Regulation FD:
  
       In the matter of Becton, Dickinson and Company, et al. v. Usrey, (Case No.
                        ------  ----------------------------     -----
  2-00-052-CV), Court of Appeals, Second District of Texas) the Court filed an
  Opinion on August 16, 2001, reversing the trial court's class certification
  order entered in Usrey v. Becton, Dickinson and Company, et al., (Case No.
                   -----    ------------------------------------
  342-173329-98, Tarrant County District Court) on the grounds that the trial
  court's class certification order was an abuse of discretion because common
  issues do not predominate. The appeals court remanded the case back to the trial
  court for proceedings consistent with its Opinion.
  
       Becton, Dickinson and Company believes that the Court of Appeals was
  correct in concluding that class action certification was not appropriate in
  this case. The Company will continue to defend this and other pending matters
  vigorously.
  
  
                                         1
  
  <PAGE>
  
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
          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.
  
                                             BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
                                                    (Registrant)
  
  
  
                                             By: /s/ Kathleen M. Gibson
                                                 -----------------------
                                                     Kathleen M. Gibson
                                                     Assistant Secretary
  
  
  Date: August 17, 2001
  
                                          2
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metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "BECTON DICKINSON & CO", "cik": "0000010795", "assigned-sic": "3841", "irs-number": "220760120", "state-of-incorporation": "NJ", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-04802", "film-number": "1718229"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE BECTON DR", "city": "FRANKLIN LAKES", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07417-1880", "phone": "2018476800"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE BECTON DR", "city": "FRANKLIN LAKE", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07417"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  August 17, 2001
                                                    ---------------
  
                            BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
             New Jersey                001-4802                   22-0760120
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (State or other juris-         (Commission             (IRS Employer Iden-
     diction of incorporation)       File Number)            tification Number)
  
     1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey                   07417-1880
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code          (201) 847-6800
                                                              --------------
  
                                         N/A
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former addresses if changed since last report.)
  Item 9.      REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE
               ------------------------
  
               The following statement is being furnished by the Company under the
               provisions of Regulation FD:
  
       In the matter of Becton, Dickinson and Company, et al. v. Usrey, (Case No.
                        ------  ----------------------------     -----
  2-00-052-CV), Court of Appeals, Second District of Texas) the Court filed an
  Opinion on August 16, 2001, reversing the trial court's class certification
  order entered in Usrey v. Becton, Dickinson and Company, et al., (Case No.
                   -----    ------------------------------------
  342-173329-98, Tarrant County District Court) on the grounds that the trial
  court's class certification order was an abuse of discretion because common
  issues do not predominate. The appeals court remanded the case back to the trial
  court for proceedings consistent with its Opinion.
  
       Becton, Dickinson and Company believes that the Court of Appeals was
  correct in concluding that class action certification was not appropriate in
  this case. The Company will continue to defend this and other pending matters
  vigorously.
  
                                         1
  SIGNATURES
  
          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.
  
                                             BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
                                                    (Registrant)
  
                                             By: /s/ Kathleen M. Gibson
                                                 -----------------------
                                                     Kathleen M. Gibson
                                                     Assistant Secretary
  
  Date: August 17, 2001
  
                                          2