BIOTECH HOLDRS TRUST
8-K, 2000-11-28
BLANK CHECKS
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                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONS

                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                 ______________

                                    FORM 8-K

               Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                      The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 22, 2000

               MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
                               Initial Depositor
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                           Biotech HOLDRS(SM) Trust
                     [Issuer with respect to the receipts]

                                    DELAWARE
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                                   333-89355
                             Commission File Number

                                   13-5674085
                      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                                250 Vesey Street
                            New York, New York 10281
             (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                                 (212) 449-1000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
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Item 5. Other Events

        The depositary trust agreement entered into between Merrill Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as the initial depositor, and The Bank of
New York, as trustee, has been amended as of November 22, 2000. The agreement
has been amended to revise the rules related to distributions of securities from
the Biotech HOLDRS Trust. Please see Exhibit 4.1 and 99.1 to this Form 8-K for
more information.


Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

        (c)  Exhibits

               4.1   Amendment to the Depositary Trust Agreement, dated November
                     22, 2000
               99.1  Biotech HOLDRS Trust Prospectus Supplement dated November
                     28, 2000 to Prospectus dated November 22, 1999.






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<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                             MERRILL LYNCH , PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED


Date:  November 28, 2000            By:    /s/ STEPHEN G. BODURTHA
                                           -----------------------
                                    Name:  Stephen G. Bodurtha
                                    Title: Attorney-in-Fact






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                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

Number and Description of Exhibit                  Sequential
---------------------------------                  Page Number
                                                   -----------

(4.1) Amendment to the Depositary Trust            Pg. 5
Agreement, dated November 22, 2000

(99.1) Biotech HOLDRsSM Trust Prospectus           Pg. 9
Supplement dated November 28, 2000 to
Prospectus dated November 22, 1999.







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