Exhibit 99 (b)


                CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
                      AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF
                         THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

     In connection with the Quarterly  Report of West  Pharmaceutical  Services,
Inc. (the "Company") on Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2002 filed
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission on the date hereof (the  "Report"),
I, Linda R. Altemus,  Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company,
certify,  pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of
1934; and

(2) The  information  contained in the Report fairly  presents,  in all material
respects, the financial position and results of operations of the Company.




/s/ Linda R. Altemus
- ----------------------------------
Linda R. Altemus
Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer


November 14, 2002