Item 8.01 - Other Events.

Abbott Laboratories and Zimmer, Inc. have completed the sale of Abbott's spine business to Zimmer for approximately $360 million in cash. Abbott expects the sale of its spine business to result in a one-time pretax gain of at least $150 million and intends to treat this gain as a specified item in the fourth quarter 2008.

Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -

A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this Form 8-K may be forward-looking statements for the purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott's operations are discussed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," to Abbott's Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," to Abbott's Quarterly Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, 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.