The growth was impacted by lower sales in the cardiovascular care business, reflecting the decision to exit the drug eluting stent market at the end of the second quarter of 2011.

During the quarter, the company announced the completion of the acquisition of Synthes for $19.7 billion in cash and stock, creating the world's most innovative and comprehensive orthopaedics business. In addition, Johnson & Johnson (China) Investment completed its first medical device acquisition in China, Guangzhou Bioseal Biotech, a privately held biopharmaceutical company specializing in the design, development and commercialization of a porcine plasma-derived biologic product for controlling bleeding during surgery.