Hospira Bacteriostatic Water: Sizes, Price & Facts (2026)

Hospira Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP is sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol (9 mg per mL) added as a preservative. The benzyl alcohol keeps bacteria from growing, so the same vial can be drawn from more than once. That is why the label calls it a multiple-dose container.

The manufacturer's label says it's for diluting or dissolving drugs before intravenous, intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. It isn't meant for fluid replacement. In research labs, it's one of the most common diluents for reconstituting lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptides. Not sure how much water to add to a vial? Our reconstitution calculator does the math.

Hospira is Pfizer's injectable medicines brand. It started out as a spin-off from Abbott Laboratories in 2004, and Pfizer finished buying it in 2015. So whether a listing says Hospira, Pfizer or Pfizer Hospira bacteriostatic water, you're looking at the same product line.

Pfizer publishes the official label here: Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP label (Pfizer) (opens in a new tab).

Pfizer's current label lists Hospira bacteriostatic water in 30 mL fliptop vials, plus a 20 mL fill in a 30 mL glass fliptop vial. Both come in trays of 25, which explains all the "25 pack" listings you'll find online.

There's no 10 mL Hospira vial on the label. So if you come across a "10 mL Hospira bacteriostatic water" listing, take a close look at the photo and the label. The manufacturer name, product name, lot number and expiry date should all be clearly printed.

We track Hospira bacteriostatic water listings from an independent U.S. seller. Here's what 30 mL vials cost when we checked on 23 October 2026:

The 25-vial pack works out cheapest at $16.00 a vial, about 30% less than buying a single vial. The catch is the 100-vial "wholesale" pack: it costs more per vial ($20.49) than the 25-pack, so bigger isn't always cheaper. Prices move often, so check the live listings before you order, and take a look at our coupon codes page for current discounts.

The manufacturer's label says to store the vials at room temperature, 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F). You don't need to put unopened vials in the fridge.

Once you've used the water to reconstitute a peptide, though, that peptide's storage rules are the ones that count, and most reconstituted peptides are kept refrigerated. Either way, check the expiry date printed on the vial before you use it.

The Pfizer label says "Rx only" and carries a boxed warning: it's not for use in neonates, because benzyl alcohol has been linked to toxicity in newborns. Check the seller's terms and the rules where you live before you order.

In September 2019, Hospira voluntarily recalled one lot of 30 mL Bacteriostatic Water for Injection (lot W20308, distributed in March and April 2018) because sterilisation couldn't be confirmed for some vials (Cleanroom Technology (opens in a new tab)). That lot expired long ago. Still, it's a good reminder to check the lot number and expiry on every vial you buy.

A genuine vial shows the Hospira name, the product name "Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP", the benzyl alcohol strength, "Rx only", and a printed lot number and expiry date. The fliptop cap should be intact and unbroken.

Compare what you have against the manufacturer's published label. Stick to sellers who tell you where their stock comes from, and be wary of any size the manufacturer doesn't list. If you want to check peptide purity as well, see our lab reports.

Any bacteriostatic water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol does the same job, whoever makes it. What Hospira gives you is a well-known manufacturer and a published label you can check your vial against. Other brands can be cheaper per mL, so it's worth comparing before you buy. Our price per mg tool and supplier pages show live prices across the sellers we track.