FORM 5 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b). Form 3 Holdings Reported Form 4 Transactions Reported

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * ZWANZIGER RON 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ALERE INC. [ALR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman, CEO & President (Last) (First) (Middle) 51 SAWYER ROAD, SUITE 200 3. Statement for Issuer's Fiscal Year Ended (Month/Day/Year) 12/31/2011 (Street) WALTHAM, MA 02453 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting (check applicable line) _X_ Form Filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned at end of Issuer's Fiscal Year (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 12/19/2011   G 20,000 D $ (1) 253,500 I See Footnote (7) Common Stock 12/19/2011   G 20,000 A $ (1) 29,450 I See Footnote (2) Common Stock             525,859 D   Common Stock             1,806,696 I See Footnote (3) Common Stock             2,600 I See Footnote (4) Common Stock             191,830 I See Footnote (5) Common Stock             488,991 I See Footnote (6) Common Stock             224,276 I See Footnote (8)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

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SEC 2270 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Issuer's Fiscal Year (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
ZWANZIGER RON 51 SAWYER ROAD, SUITE 200 WALTHAM, MA 02453	  X	Â	  Chairman, CEO & President	Â

Signatures

/s/ Ron Zwanziger		02/13/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	20,000 shares of Common Stock were transferred by gift from The Ron Zwanziger 2004 Revocable Trust to a private charitable foundation where the reporting person and the reporting person's spouse along with three others serve as directors of the board.
(2)	These securities are owned by a private charitable foundation where the reporting person and the reporting person's spouse along with three others serve as directors on the board. The reporting person and his spouse have recused themselves from any discussion or consideration of the charitable foundation's disposition of these securities.
(3)	These securities are owned by Zwanziger Family Ventures, LLC, an LLC managed by the reporting person and the reporting person's spouse.
(4)	These securities are owned by the reporting person's spouse.
(5)	These securities are owned by The Zwanziger Family Trust for the benefit of the reporting person's children. The reporting person's sister is the trustee.
(6)	These securities are owned by The Zwanziger 2009 Annuity Trust for which the reporting person is the trustee.
(7)	These securities are owned by The Ron Zwanziger 2004 Revocable Trust for which the reporting person is the trustee.
(8)	These securities are owned by The Zwanziger Family 2004 Irrevocable Trust. The reporting person's sister is the trustee.

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