EXHIBIT 5




Direct line:      (514) 987-8895
E-mail:           fpch@robic.com



Montreal, December 12, 2001





AXCAN PHARMA INC.
597 Laurier Blvd
Mount St-Hilaire,  Quebec
J3H 6C4


RE: Axcan Pharma Inc.
    Stock Option Plan and Offering Notice as Amended and Restated
    on December 19, 2000
    Registration Statement on Form S-8
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Laides and Gentlemen:

You have requested our opinion, as counsel for Axcan Pharma Inc., a corporation
incorporated under the laws of the Canada Business Corporations Act (the
"Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities
and Exchange Commission of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") registering an aggregate of 2,590,000 Common shares of
the Company's share capital, no par value per share, for issuance pursuant to
the Company's Stock Option Plan and Offering Notice as Amended and Restated on
December 19, 2000 (the "Plan").

We have examined such records and documents and made such examination of law as
we have deemed relevant in connection with this opinion. Based on the foregoing,
we are of the opinion that the 2,590,000 shares covered by said Registration
Statement, when issued or sold, and paid for in accordance with the terms of the
Plan, will be legally issued, fully-paid and non-assessable.


Axcan Pharma Inc.
December 12, 2001                                                       Page 2
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We are solicitors qualified to carry on the practice of law only in the Province
of Quebec and our opinions herein are restricted to the laws of such province
and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. Our opinion as to the
validity under the laws of the Province of Quebec of the issue of the Shares,
insofar as it may apply to persons who are not resident in the Province of
Quebec, is based upon the assumption that, under the laws of any jurisdiction
other than the Province of Quebec, the issue thereof is completed in a manner
which is not unlawful.

For the purpose of this opinion, we have assumed, with regard to all documents
examined by us, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to authentic original
documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed, telecopied
or photostatic copies.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Axcan Pharma Inc.


Respectfully submitted,

LEGER ROBIC RICHARD


/s/ Leger Robic Richard