Did the formulation change when Pfizer acquired Hospira?

No. The product is made to the USP monograph for Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, which is a published standard that an acquisition does not alter. The label gained a parent company line and nothing else.

What does the NDC number on the vial tell you?

The NDC is a three-part code identifying the labeler, the product and the package size, and it is how a specific presentation is looked up in US drug databases. It is a useful way to confirm a listing matches the vial.

Are there other manufacturers of bacteriostatic water?

Yes. Several manufacturers produce it to the same USP monograph, which is why generic vials perform identically. Hospira is simply the most recognized label in this category.

Does the brand name affect the storage window?

No. The window is set by the 0.9% benzyl alcohol concentration, which is specified by the USP monograph and therefore identical across every compliant manufacturer.

Pfizer Bac Water: Is It the Same as Hospira?

Yes. Pfizer bought Hospira in 2015 and the vials read "Hospira, Inc., a Pfizer company."

Yes, they are the same product. Pfizer acquired Hospira in 2015, and the vials have read "Hospira, Inc., a Pfizer company" ever since. Searching either brand name leads to the same 30mL multiple-dose vial.

Why do both names appear on the label?

Because Hospira continued as a subsidiary rather than disappearing into Pfizer. The manufacturing entity on the label stayed Hospira and the parent company was added to it. Nothing about the formulation changed with the acquisition.

Which name should you search for?

Monthly searches for each name. Both describe the same vial.

Hospira is what most people search and what most sellers list under. If a listing says Pfizer and the photograph shows the Hospira label, that is the correct product and not a substitution.

What is on a genuine vial?

The words Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP.
The line reading 0.9% benzyl alcohol added.
The Hospira name, with or without the Pfizer reference.
An NDC number, a lot number and an expiry date.
The not-for-use-in-neonates warning.
An intact flip-off cap over an uncut aluminum seal.

A vial missing a lot number or an expiry is not one to accept, whatever brand is printed on it.

Is the branded vial different from a generic one?

Not in what it contains. Both are bacteriostatic water for injection, USP with 0.9% benzyl alcohol, and both keep to the expiration date printed on the vial. The difference is recognition and price. The Hospira page covers the comparison in full.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the formulation change when Pfizer acquired Hospira?: No. The product is made to the USP monograph for Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, which is a published standard that an acquisition does not alter. The label gained a parent company line and nothing else.
What does the NDC number on the vial tell you?: The NDC is a three-part code identifying the labeler, the product and the package size, and it is how a specific presentation is looked up in US drug databases. It is a useful way to confirm a listing matches the vial.
Are there other manufacturers of bacteriostatic water?: Yes. Several manufacturers produce it to the same USP monograph, which is why generic vials perform identically. Hospira is simply the most recognized label in this category.
Does the brand name affect the storage window?: No. The window is set by the 0.9% benzyl alcohol concentration, which is specified by the USP monograph and therefore identical across every compliant manufacturer.