…and the case for premix bags over ready-to-use bottles

Perhaps you’re already using premixed products in ready-to-use glass bottles. That’s a great start! However, do you realize you can advance your efforts toward patient safety1 and realize significant cost savings2 by choosing premix bags?
Premix bags offer several benefits that simply aren’t available with rigid containers like glass bottles. For starters, premix bags do not require specialty vented IV sets. In addition, premix bags take up less space, are easier to store and incur less breakage than bulky and cumbersome glass bottles. Especially in settings where storage and shelf space are at a premium, the ability to lay the premix bags flat and stack them – without the need of refrigeration – is a tremendous asset to caregivers. All things considered, what’s keeping you from switching to premix bags?
1 Sanborn MD, Moody ML, Harder KA, et al. Second consensus development conference on the safety of intravenous drug
delivery systems—2008. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2009;66:185-192.
2 Van der Linden P, Douchamps J, Schmitt C, Forget D. Ready-to-use injection preparations versus conventional
reconstituted admixtures: economic evaluation in a real-life setting. Pharmacoeconomics. 2002;20(8):529-536.
3 Rangel-Frausto MS, Higuera-Ramirez H, Martinez-Soto J, Rosenthal VD. Should we used closed or open infusion
containers for prevention of bloodstream infections? Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob. 2010(9):6.
4 Maki DG, Rosenthal VD, Salomao R, Franzetti F, Rangel-Frausto MS. Impact of switching from an open to a closed infusion
system on rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection: A meta-analysis of time-sequence cohort studies in
4 countries. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2011;32(1):50-58.