New Medication - Polymyxin B 50 mg (500,000 units) Injection

Post date: Dec 28, 2017 8:41:3 AM

26th December 2017 (Circular No. SP PPUM: 471/2017):

Name of Medication: Polymyxin B 50 mg (500,000 units)

Brand: Poly-B

Form: Injection

Company: Samarth Life Science, India

Formulary Category: Standard

Precriber: Infectious Disease Specialist, Intensivist, Respiratory Specialist

This medication will be replacing the antibiotic Polymyxin E (also known as Colistin) except in the treatment of Urinary Tract Infections and using it as a nebulizer.

To reduce medication error since both medications Polymyxin B and Polymyxin E are similar and sound alike, doctors are advised to prescribe this medication in 'mg' (500,000 units = 50 mg). This will help to differentiate Polymyxin E (Colistin) which uses 'mega unit'.