Exhibit 32.1



                        SECTION 906 CEO/CFO CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Subsections (a) and
(b) of Section 1350, Chapter 63 of Title 18, United States Code) each of the
undersigned officers of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, a Massachusetts
corporation (the "Company"), does hereby certify, to such officer's knowledge,
that:

The Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 (the "Form
10-K") of the Company fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the information contained in
the Form 10-K fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition
and results of operations of the Company.

      DATED:    MARCH 15, 2004            /s/ JOSHUA S. BOGER
      ------    --------------            -------------------

                                          Joshua S. Boger
                                          Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



      DATED:    MARCH 15, 2004            /s/ IAN F. SMITH
      ------    --------------            --------------------

                                          Ian F. Smith
                                          Senior Vice President and
                                          Chief Financial Officer


A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been
provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the
Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.