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                                                             EXHIBITS 5 and 23.2

                        Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP
                              1800 Star Bank Center
                                425 Walnut Street
                           Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-3957

                                December 18, 1998



Securities & Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

Dear Sir or Madam:

         We have acted as counsel for Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the
"Company") in connection with its filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-3
concerning the registration of up to 1,401,584 shares of common stock, $.01 par
value (the "Common Stock"), which may be sold by the Selling Shareholders
identified in the Registration Statement. The shares of Common Stock being
registered may be issued by the Company in satisfaction of cash redemption
requirements related to outstanding shares of the Company's 5% Cumulative
Convertible Preferred Stock, Series F.

         It is our opinion that the registration of the shares of Common Stock
covered by the Registration Statement and the issuance of such shares have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action by the Company. The shares of
Common Stock which may be issued and sold will be, when issued in accordance
with the terms and conditions of the agreements providing for their issuance,
legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the
aforesaid Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus.

                                           Yours very truly,



                                           /s/ Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP