EXHIBIT 5.1 LAW OFFICES Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. MUSEUM TOWER 150 WEST FLAGLER STREET MIAMI, FLORIDA 33130 --------- MIAMI (305) 789-3200 . BROWARD (954) 463-5440 FAX (305) 789-3395 WWW.STEARNSWEAVER.COM E. RICHARD ALHADEFF JOSEPH K. HALL ELIZABETH G. RICE OWEN S. FREED LOUISE JACOWITZ ALLEN LISHA D. HOGUE GLENN M. RISSMAN SENIOR COUNSEL STUART D. AMES ALICE R. HUNEYCUTT ANDREW L. RODMAN ALEXANDER ANGUEIRA RICHARD B. JACKSON KEITH E. ROUNSAVILLE THOMAS J. QUARLES LAWRENCE J. BAILIN SHARON LEE JOHNSON MIMI L. SALL OF COUNSEL ANA T. BARNETT MICHAEL I. KEYES NICOLE S. SAYFIE CHRISTOPHER L. BARNETT ROBERT T. KOFMAN RICHARD E. SCHATZ DAVID M. SMITH PATRICK A. BARRY CHAD K. LANG DAVID M. SEIFER LAND USE CONSULTANT JEFFREY S. BARTEL DAVID P. LHOTA JOSE G. SEPULVEDA SHAWN BAYNE TERRY M. LOVELL JAY B. SHAPIRO SUSAN FLEMING BENNETT JOY SPILLIS LUNDEEN MARTIN S. SIMKOVIC TAMPA OFFICE LISA K. BERG GEOFFREY MacDONALD CECILIA DURAN SIMMONS SUITE 2200 MARK J. BERNET MONA E. MARKUS CURTIS H. SITTERSON SUNTRUST FINANCIAL CENTRE HANS C. BEYER BRIAN J. McDONOUGH MARK D. SOLOV 401 EAST JACKSON STREET RICHARD I. BLINDERMAN ANDREW D. McNAMEE EUGENE E. STEARNS TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602 MARK D. BOWEN ANTONIO R. MENENDEZ BRADFORD SWING MATTHEW W. BUTTRICK FRANCISCO J. MENENDEZ SUSAN J. TOEPFER (813) 223-4800 JENNIFER STEARNS BUTTRICK ALISON W. MILLER ANNETTE TORRES PETER L. DESIDERIO HAROLD D. MOOREFIELD, JR. DENNIS R. TURNER MARK P. DIKEMAN JIMMY L. MORALES JONATHAN C. VAIR FORT LAUDERDALE OFFICE DREW M. DILLWORTH JOHN N. MURATIDES RONALD L. WEAVER SUITE 1900 SHARON QUINN DIXON JEFFREY A. NORMAN RORY B. WEINER 200 EAST BROWARD BOULEVARD DINO A. DOYLE JOHN K. OLSON ROBERT I. WEISSLER FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA 33301 ALAN H. FEIN KARA E. PLUNKETT PATRICIA G. WELLES ANGELO M. FILIPPI DAVID C. POLLACK MARTIN B. WOODS (954) 462-9500 ROBERT E. GALLAGHER, JR. DARRIN J. QUAM CHAVA E. GENET JOHN M. RAWICZ PATRICIA K. GREEN PATRICIA A. REDMOND December 21, 2001 Giorgio D'Urso Chief Executive Officer and President IVAX Diagnostics, Inc. 2140 North Miami Avenue Miami, Florida 33127 Re: IVAX Diagnostics, Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-8 ---------------------------------- Dear Mr. D'Urso: As counsel to IVAX Diagnostics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), we have examined the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Corporation, as well as such other documents and proceedings as we have considered necessary for the purposes of this opinion. We have also examined and are familiar with the Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to 1,090,795 shares of the Corporation's Common Stock, $0.01 per share par value (the "Common Stock"), issuable by the Corporation pursuant to the Corporation's 1999 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). In rendering this opinion, we have assumed, without independent investigation: (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals; (ii) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures. In addition, as to questions of fact material to the opinions expressed herein, we have relied upon such certificates of public officials, corporate agents and officers of the Corporation and such other certificates as we deemed relevant. Based upon the foregoing, and having regard to legal considerations which we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that following the issuance and delivery of the Common Stock by the Corporation under the Plan, against payment of adequate consideration therefor to the Corporation in accordance with the terms of the Plan, the Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. This opinion is intended solely for the Corporation's use in connection with the registration of the Common Stock and may not be relied upon for any other purpose or by any other person. This opinion is limited to the matters expressly stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein. This opinion is rendered as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update or supplement such opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in facts or law that may hereafter occur. We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. Very truly yours, STEARNS WEAVER MILLER WEISSLER ALHADEFF & SITTERSON, P.A.