**Exhibit 31.1**

 

**Certification of Chief Executive OfficerRequired by Rule 13a-14(a) (17 CFR 240.13a-14(a))**

 

I, Christopher B. Begley, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Qof Hospira, Inc.;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not containany untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material factnecessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances underwhich such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the periodcovered by this report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements,and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in allmaterial respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flowsof Hospira as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4. Hospira’s other certifying officer and I areresponsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) andinternal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and15d-15(f)) for Hospira and have:

 

(a)   Designedsuch disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls andprocedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that materialinformation relating to Hospira, including its consolidated subsidiaries, ismade known to us by others within those entities, particularly during theperiod in which this report is being prepared;

 

(b)   Designedsuch internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal controlover financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to providereasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and thepreparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance withgenerally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c)   Evaluatedthe effectiveness of Hospira’s disclosure controls and procedures and presentedin this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosurecontrols and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this reportbased on such evaluation; and

 

(d)   Disclosedin this report any change in Hospira’s internal control over financialreporting that occurred during Hospira’s most recent fiscal quarter that hasmaterially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, Hospira’sinternal control over financial reporting; and

 

5. Hospira’s other certifying officer and I havedisclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control overfinancial reporting, to Hospira’s auditors and the audit committee of Hospira’sboard of directors:

 

(a)   Allsignificant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation ofinternal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely toadversely affect Hospira’s ability to record, process, summarize and reportfinancial information; and

 

(b)   Anyfraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees whohave a significant role in Hospira’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

 

| /s/  CHRISTOPHER  B. BEGLEY |   |   |   |   |
|---------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Christopher B. Begley,                |   |   |   |   |
| Chairman and Chief  Executive Officer |   |   |   |   |
|                                  |   |   |   |   |
| Date: May 7, 2008                |   |   |   |   |

 

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