8-K

                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20549





                             FORM 8-K




                          CURRENT REPORT
                Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
               The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                 Date of Report:  August 7, 2003
                (Date of earliest event reported)


                    BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.
   ________________________________________________________________
      (exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                     Commission File: 1-7928

        Delaware                                94-1381833
   ________________________________________________________________
     (State or other                         (I.R.S. Employer
     jurisdiction of                        Identification No.)
    incorporation or
      organization)



                      1000 Alfred Nobel Drive
                    Hercules, California 94547
   ________________________________________________________________
   (Address of Principal executive offices, including zip code)

                          (510) 724-7000
   ________________________________________________________________
       (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)




   

   ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

        On August 7, 2003, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. issued a press release
   announcing that it has agreed to sell $225,000,000 aggregate principal
   amount of its 7.50% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 in a private
   offering. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and
   is incorporated herein by reference.




    

   ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENT, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS


   (c)  Exhibits

   Exhibit
   Number                            Description

   99.1   Press Release for pricing of private offer of Bio-Rad Laboratories,
          Inc., dated August 7, 2003.


   

                            SIGNATURES



        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
   the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
   undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                      BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.



   Date:  August 7, 2003              By:/s/ James R. Stark
                                            James R. Stark
                                            Corporate Controller







                           EXHIBIT INDEX

   Exhibit
   Number                   Description


   99.1   Press Release for pricing of private offering of Bio-Rad Laboratories,
          Inc., dated August 7, 2003.

EX-99

   EXHIBIT 99.1

   PRESS RELEASE

          Bio-Rad Announces Pricing of Private Offering of $225 Million of
                            Senior Subordinated Notes

   HERCULES, CA - August 7, 2003 - Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
   (AMEX: BIO; BIO.B), a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life
   science research products and clinical diagnostics, announced that it has
   agreed to sell $225 million aggregate principal amount of its 7.50% Senior
   Subordinated Notes due 2013 in a private offering. The Company intends to
   close the transaction on or about August 11, 2003.

   The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund the
   purchase of its outstanding 11 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007
   pursuant to the tender offer announced by the Company on July 17, 2003 and
   for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions.

   The new Senior Subordinated Notes have not been registered under the
   Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or applicable state securities laws, and
   will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule
   144A and in offshore transactions pursuant to Regulation S under the
   Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Unless so registered, the new Senior
   Subordinated Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States except
   pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the
   Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

   This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation
   of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these
   securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
   unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of
   any such state.

   Various statements made within this press release may constitute "forward-
   looking statements" for purposes of the Securities and Exchange Commission's
   "safe harbor" provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
   of 1995 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The
   forward-looking statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties
   that could cause results to differ materially from the
   Company's expectations.

   For more information contact:
   Christine Tsingos, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
   Ron Hutton, Treasurer
   Phone: (510) 724-7000
   E-mail: investor_relations@bio-rad.com