title: Multidose vials versus single-dose vials: a study in sterility and cost-effectiveness.
abstract: A total of 197 multidose injectable vials were collected from 10 different nursing stations and evaluated for sterility. Experimental contamination studies were undertaken, and the cost-effectiveness of multidose vials was compared with that of single-dose vials. Our results showed that bacterial contamination of multidose injectable vials was not a significant hazard; in addition, contrary to common belief, the use of multidose vials was not always successful as a cost-containment measure.
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000254:growth & development; D003363:Cost Control; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000191:economics*; D004349:Drug Packaging / Q000191:economics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000254:growth & development; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000254:growth & development