BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY 2004 EMPLOYEE AND DIRECTOR EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION PLAN

Exhibit 10.(o)

BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
2004 EMPLOYEE AND DIRECTOR EQUITY-BASED
COMPENSATION PLAN

As Amended and Restated as of November 25, 2008

      Section 1. Purpose.

      The purpose of the Becton, Dickinson and Company 2004 Employee and Director Equity-Based Compensation Plan is to provide an incentive to employees of the Company and its subsidiaries to achieve long-range goals, to aid in attracting and retaining employees and directors of outstanding ability and to closely align their interests with those of shareholders.

      Section 2. Definition .

      As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

      (a) “Affiliate” shall mean (i) any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Company and (ii) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest, in either case as determined by the Committee.

      (b) “Award” shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Unit or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan.

      (c) “Award Agreement” shall mean any written agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award granted under the Plan, which may, but need not, be executed or acknowledged by a Participant.

      (d) “Board” shall mean the board of directors of the Company.

      (e) “Cause” shall mean (i) the willful and continued failure of a Participant to perform substantially the Participant’s duties with the Company or any Affiliate (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness), or (ii) the willful engaging by the Participant in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company. No act, or failure to act, on the part of the Participant shall be considered “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Participant in bad faith or without the reasonable belief that the Participant’s action or omission was in the best interest of
the Company.

      (f) “Change in Control” means

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benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any affiliated company, (iv) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction that complies with Section 2(f)(iii)(A), Section 2(f)(iii)(B) and Section 2(f)(iii)(C), or (v) any acquisition that the Board determines, in good faith, was inadvertent, if the acquiring Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient amount of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and/or the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as applicable, to reverse such acquisition of 25% or more thereof;

      (ii) individuals who, as of the day after the effective time of this Plan, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board” ) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to such time whose election, or nomination for election as a director by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consent by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

      (iii) consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or subsequently all of the assets of the Company (a “Business Combination” ), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

      (iv) approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

      (g) “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

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      (h) “Committee” shall mean the Compensation and Benefits Committee of the Board or such other committee as may be designated by the Board.

      (i) “Company” shall mean Becton, Dickinson and Company.

      (j) “Disability” shall mean a Participant’s total disability as defined below and determined in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder:

      The Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

      A Participant will be deemed to have suffered a Disability if determined to be totally disabled by the Social Security Administration. In addition, the Participant will be deemed to have suffered a Disability if determined to be disabled in accordance with a disability insurance program maintained by the Company, provided that the definition of disability applied under such disability insurance program complies with the requirements of Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder.

      (k) “Earnings Per Share” shall mean earnings per share calculated in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

      (l) “Executive Group” shall mean every person who is expected by the Committee to be both (i) a “covered employee” as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code as of the end of the taxable year in which payment of the Award may be deducted by the Company, and (ii) the recipient of compensation of more than $1,000,000 for that taxable year.

      (m) “Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to any property (including, without limitation, any Shares or other securities) the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee.

      (n) “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an option representing the right to purchase Shares from the Company, granted under and in accordance with the terms of Section 6, that meets the requirements of Section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision thereto.

      (o) “Market Share” shall mean the percent of sales of the total available market in an industry, product line or product attained by the Company or one of its business units during a time period.

      (p) “Net Income” shall mean net income calculated in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

      (q) “Net Revenue Per Employee” in a period shall mean net revenue divided by the average number of employees of the Company, with average defined as the sum of the number of employees at the beginning and ending of the period divided by two.

      (r) “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an option representing the right to purchase Shares from the Company, granted under and in accordance with the terms of Section 6, that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

      (s) “Option” shall mean an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

      (t) “Other Stock-Based Award” shall mean any right granted under Section 9.

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      (u) “Participant” shall mean an individual granted an Award under the Plan.

      (v) “Performance Unit” shall mean any right granted under Section 8.

      (w) “Restricted Stock” shall mean any Share granted under Section 7.

      (x) “Restricted Stock Unit” shall mean a contractual right granted under Section 7 that is denominated in Shares. Each Unit represents a right to receive the value of one Share (or a percentage of such value, which percentage may be higher than 100%) upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. Awards of Restricted Stock Units may include, without limitation, the right to receive dividend equivalents.

      (y) “Retirement” shall mean a Separation from Service after attainment of retirement as specified in the applicable terms of an Award.

      (z) “Return On Common Equity” for a period shall mean net income less preferred stock dividends divided by total shareholders’ equity, less amounts, if any, attributable to preferred stock.

      (aa) “Return on Invested Capital” for a period shall mean earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization divided by the difference of total assets less non-interest bearing current liabilities.

      (bb) “Return On Net Assets” for a period shall mean net income less preferred stock dividends divided by the difference of average total assets less average non-debt liabilities, with average defined as the sum of assets or liabilities at the beginning and ending of the period divided by two.

      (cc) “Revenue Growth” shall mean the percentage change in revenue (as defined in Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 6, published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board) from one period to another.

      (dd) “Plan” shall mean this Becton, Dickinson and Company 2004 Employee and Director Equity-Based Compensation Plan.

      (ee) “Separation from Service” shall mean a termination of employment or other separation from service from the Company, as described in Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder, including, but not limited to a termination by reason of Retirement or involuntary termination without Cause, but excluding any such termination where there is a simultaneous re-employment by the Company.

      (ff) “Shares” shall mean shares of the common stock of the Company, $1.00 par value. (gg) “Specified Employee” shall mean a Participant who is deemed to be a specified employee in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company that reflect the requirements of Code Section 409A(2)(B)(i) and the guidance thereunder.

      (hh) “Stock Appreciation Right ” shall mean a right to receive a payment, in cash and/or Shares, as determined by the Committee, equal in value to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share at the time the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised over the exercise price of the Stock Appreciation Right.

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      (ii) “Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines.

      (jj) “Total Shareholder Return” shall mean the sum of the appreciation in the Company’s stock price and dividends paid on the common stock of the Company over a given period of time.

      Section 3. Eligibility.

      (a) Any individual who is employed by (including any officer), or who serves as a member of the board of directors of, the Company or any Affiliate shall be eligible to be selected to receive an Award under the Plan.

      (b) An individual who has agreed to accept employment by the Company or an Affiliate shall be deemed to be eligible for Awards hereunder as of the date of such agreement.

      (c) Holders of options and other types of Awards granted by a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines are eligible for grant of Substitute Awards hereunder.

     Section 4. Administration.

      (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall be appointed by the Board and shall consist of not less than three directors, each of whom shall be independent, within the meaning of and to the extent required by applicable rulings and interpretations of the New York Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and each of whom shall be a “Non-Employee Director” , as defined from time to time for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules promulgated thereunder. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of the Committee who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the Committee. The Committee may issue rules and regulations for administration of the Plan. It shall meet at such times and places as it may determine. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

      (b) Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards (including Substitute Awards) to be granted to each Participant under the Plan; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by (or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with) Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, or other property, or canceled, forfeited or suspended, and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property, and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Committee; (vii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (ix) determine whether and to what extent Awards should comply or continue to comply with any requirement of statute or regulation; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan will be interpreted and

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administered by the Committee in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A to allow for tax deferral thereunder, and the Committee shall take no action hereunder that would result in a violation of Code Section 409A.

      (c) All decisions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all parties, including the Company, the stockholders and the Participants.

      Section 5. Shares Available For Awards.

      (a) The number of Shares originally available for issuance under the Plan was 9,000,000 shares. An additional 5,500,000 shares (the “Additional Shares”) shall be available for issuance under the Plan, for a total of 14,500,000 available Shares, subject to adjustment as provided below. Notwithstanding the foregoing and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5(e), (i) no Participant may receive Options and Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan in any calendar year that relate to more than 250,000 Shares, (ii) the maximum number of Shares with respect to which unrestricted Awards (either as to vesting, performance or otherwise) may be made to employees under the Plan is 450,000 Shares, and (iii) the maximum number of Additional Shares that may be issued with respect to any Awards other than Awards of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be 2,000,000.

      (b) If, after the effective date of the Plan, any Shares covered by an Award other than a Substitute Award, or to which such an Award relates, are forfeited, or if such an Award otherwise terminates without the delivery of Shares or of other consideration, then the Shares covered by such Award, or to which such Award relates, to the extent of any such forfeiture or termination, shall again be, or shall become, available for issuance under the Plan, except as otherwise provided in Section 5(f).

      (c) In the event that any Option or other Award granted hereunder (other than a Substitute Award) is exercised through the delivery of Shares, or in the event that withholding tax liabilities arising from such Option or Award are satisfied by the withholding of Shares by the Company, the number of Shares available for Awards under the Plan shall be increased by the number of Shares so surrendered or withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 5(c) will not apply to any such surrender or withholding of Shares occurring on or after November 21, 2006.

      (d) Any Shares deli