**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)   Designed such disclosure controls andprocedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designedunder our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to Hospira,including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others withinthose entities, particularly during the period in which this report is beingprepared;

 

(b)   Designed such internal control over financialreporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to bedesigned under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding thereliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statementsfor external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accountingprinciples;

 

(c)   Evaluated the effectiveness of Hospira’sdisclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusionsabout the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the endof the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

(d)   Disclosed in this report any change inHospira’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred duringHospira’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or isreasonably likely to materially affect, Hospira’s internal control overfinancial 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)   All significant deficiencies and materialweaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financialreporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect Hospira’s ability torecord, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

(b)   Any fraud, whether or not material, thatinvolves management or other employees who have a significant role in Hospira’sinternal control over financial reporting.

 
| /s/  CHRISTOPHER  B. BEGLEY |   |
|---------------------------------------|--------|
| Christopher B. Begley,                |   |
| Chairman and Chief  Executive Officer |   |
|                                  |   |
| Date: April 28,  2009            |   |

 

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