Sodium Chloride℞

The formulation contains sodium chloride in water for injection. At 0.9%, each milliliter supplies 9 mg of sodium chloride. Hospira describes it as an isotonic solution, with no antimicrobial preservative or added buffer.

It is used to dissolve or dilute compatible injectable medicines. The medicine’s instructions determine the appropriate diluent and preparation; a saline concentration alone cannot establish compatibility. [2]

This product does not contain benzyl alcohol. Bacteriostatic saline is a different formulation that includes an antimicrobial preservative, even though the sodium chloride concentration may also be 0.9%. Reading the complete product name distinguishes those formulations.

Preservative-free does not mean that a vial stays sterile after opening regardless of handling. Aseptic preparation remains necessary, and a single-dose vial can become a source of infection if it is contaminated or reused inappropriately. [2] [3] [4]

The reference shown is a 10 mL plastic Fliptop vial. Pfizer lists its manufacturer pack as 25 individual vials. The 10 mL describes one vial’s contents, not a medication dose or a requirement to use the entire volume.

A single-dose vial is intended for one patient during one case, procedure or injection. CDC says leftover contents should not be saved for another use, even for the same person. A prepared medication also has its own storage and stability instructions, which cannot be inferred from the unopened diluent’s expiration date. [1] [2] [3]