<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-06-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000730469</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALPHARMA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ALO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001292185</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Perez Ray</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>700 W. HARBOR DRIVE UNIT #606</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN DIEGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92101</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-06-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5117</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock A</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5117</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10117</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to receive one share of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock, for no additional consideration, upon the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit, all in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, dated as of the date of the grant between the Reporting Person and the Issuer. For informational purposes only , the closing price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock on June 5, 2007 was $25.41.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Restricted Stock Units vest immediately upon Reporting Persons retirement from the Issuer's Board of Directors (the &quot;Board&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Restricted Stock Units do not have an expiration date, but they are subject to forferture if the Reporting Person voluntarily resigns from the Board, subject to the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Marie Amerasinghe  For: Ray Perez</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-06-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgardoc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4465}]
X0202
4
2007-06-05
0
0000730469
ALPHARMA INC
ALO
0001292185
Perez Ray
700 W. HARBOR DRIVE UNIT #606
SAN DIEGO
CA
92101
1
0
0
0
Restricted Stock Unit
2007-06-05
4
A
0
5117
0
A
Common Stock A
5117
10117
D
Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to receive one share of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock, for no additional consideration, upon the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit, all in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, dated as of the date of the grant between the Reporting Person and the Issuer. For informational purposes only , the closing price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock on June 5, 2007 was $25.41.
Restricted Stock Units vest immediately upon Reporting Persons retirement from the Issuer's Board of Directors (the "Board").
Restricted Stock Units do not have an expiration date, but they are subject to forferture if the Reporting Person voluntarily resigns from the Board, subject to the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.
By: Marie Amerasinghe  For: Ray Perez
2007-06-07