Sterile Water Injection shortage
Sterile Water Injection is currently listed in shortage by the FDA. The FDA lists 12 affected products. The reported reason: Demand increase for the drug; Other. This page was last refreshed from FDA data on Oct 3, 2026.
Sterile Water Injection has been in shortage for over a year due to high demand. Some makers still report available supply, and the same product is also listed by makers that have not reported a shortage, including B. Braun Medical, Baxter, Hospira, and American Regent.
Don’t stop or change your therapy on your own — ask your pharmacist about other manufacturers (see options) and your prescriber about a long-term plan.
Do you take this drug? See the ‘What to do’ recommendation from Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD →What’s in shortage — at a glance
These figures count only the manufacturers that reported this shortage to the FDA — not every company that makes Sterile Water Injection. Other makers that haven’t reported a problem are shown in the green card below.
Shortage timeline
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Sep 22, 2026Currently in shortage12 of 12 products affected.
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Sep 18, 2026FDA refreshed this shortage record1 product updated.
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Sep 15, 2026FDA refreshed this shortage record5 products updated.
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Aug 4, 2026FDA refreshed this shortage record1 product updated.
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Dec 3, 2021More presentations reported1 more product added to the shortage.
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Nov 23, 2021First reported to the FDA11 products first listed.
Built from FDA posting and update dates. The end date FDA publishes is the posting/update date, not a true resolution date, so durations are approximate.
What exactly is on backorder — by manufacturer
Manufacturer: Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC 📞 888-386-1300 4 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Size | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Sterile Water For Injection In Plastic Container, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 63323-185-20) | — | Available | Check wholesalers for inventory | — |
| Current | Sterile Water For Injection In Plastic Container, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 63323-185-50) | — | Available | Check wholesalers for inventory | — |
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 1000 mL/1000 mL (NDC 63323-178-76) | — | Available | Check wholesalers for inventory | — |
| Current | Sterile Water For Injection In Plastic Container, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 63323-185-10) | — | Unavailable | Next release September 2026. Check wholesalers for inventory. | Demand increase for the drug |
Manufacturer: Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. 📞 800-631-2174 1 NDC click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Size | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 0641-6147-10) | — | Available | Additional lots will be scheduled for manufacturing. Product will be made available as it is released. | — |
Manufacturer: Hospira, Inc., a Pfizer Company 📞 844-646-4398 5 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Size | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 0409-4887-50) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Bacteriostatic Water For Injection In Plastic Container, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 0409-3977-03) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 0409-4887-99) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 0409-4887-10) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 0409-4887-20) | — | Available | — | — |
Manufacturer: Medefil, Inc. 📞 630-682-4600 1 NDC click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Size | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 10 mL/10 mL (NDC 64253-020-30) | — | Available | — | — |
Manufacturer: Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation 📞 800-443-4313 1 NDC click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Size | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Sterile Water, Injection, 1 mL/1 mL (NDC 0487-6105-01) | — | Limited Availability | Small amount of inventory available with 12/31/2026 dating | Other |
These rows are manufacturer reports to the FDA for Sterile Water Injection — they do not necessarily cover every manufacturer that makes this drug. A company appears here only if it told the FDA it has a supply problem, so other makers may still have stock. That’s the basis for the Where else can I get Sterile Water Injection? options further down this page.
Why is Sterile Water Injection in shortage?
Sterile Water for Injection is on the shortage list mainly because demand has gone up — more people need it than the usual supply can keep up with. For Fresenius Kabi, one specific package — the 1 mL/1 mL size (NDC 63323-185-10) — is currently unavailable because of that demand increase, with the next release expected in September 2026. Their other sizes, including another 1 mL/1 mL package and the 1000 mL bag, are still available. Over at Nephron Pharmaceuticals, the 1 mL/1 mL vial is listed as having only limited availability for an unspecified reason, with a small amount of inventory on hand that is dated through December 31, 2026. Hikma Pharmaceuticals noted they are scheduling additional manufacturing runs and will release product as it becomes ready.
It's worth knowing that not every product from every manufacturer is affected — several sizes and packages from multiple companies in this report are still listed as available right now.
Based on the manufacturer-reported reason(s) and notes on file with the FDA for Sterile Water Injection, summarized in plain English by HelloPharmacist. A drug can be short for more than one reason, and the FDA updates these as manufacturers report changes.
What should I do if I take Sterile Water Injection?
Sterile Water Injection is currently on the FDA shortage list, but this is a low-level supply issue, and every strength still has at least one maker reporting it is available.
All three strengths — 1 mL/1 mL, 10 mL/10 mL, and 1000 mL/1000 mL — have an available source right now. None of them are listed as having no source. Within the 1 mL/1 mL strength, one specific lot from one manufacturer is temporarily unavailable with a next release noted for September 2026, but other makers still report supply of that same strength.
The FDA lists the reasons as increased demand and "other." This shortage has lasted over a year, yet all five manufacturers on this record report supply, which is why the overall risk is low. Some notes simply advise checking wholesalers for inventory.
Here is what I suggest:
- Do not stop, skip, or change how you use this product on your own.
- Ask your pharmacy to order your strength; they can check wholesalers and other manufacturers.
- The same medicine is made by several other companies (for example B. Braun, Baxter, ICU Medical, and others), so your pharmacy may be able to source one — though it may not be on the shelf locally.
- If your exact product can't be found, ask your pharmacist or prescriber about options.
Manufacturer contact numbers are listed on this page for reference; pharmacies usually handle those calls. This is general national data and may not match local stock.
- Don’t stop or change the medication on your own — talk to your prescriber first.
- If this is part of an ongoing or essential regimen (for example HIV treatment or prevention, seizure, heart, transplant, diabetes or mental-health medicines), do not skip or ration doses — contact your pharmacist or prescriber right away to arrange continued supply before you run out.
- Ask your pharmacy to check other manufacturers, strengths, package sizes, and nearby stores.
- Ask your prescriber whether a different strength, formulation, or the brand/generic version is appropriate.
Uses, dosing, side effects, prices, and the complete FDA label — written in plain English and pharmacist-reviewed.
Where else can I get Sterile Water Injection?
FDA shortages are manufacturer-reported — a company only shows up on the shortage list if it told the FDA it has a supply problem, so not every maker of Sterile Water Injection is necessarily short. Below we pull together the other still-marketed options that are not reported in shortage: the same medicine from manufacturers that haven’t reported a problem, and alternative dosage forms. These may still be out of stock at your pharmacy, and only your prescriber or pharmacist can decide what’s right for you.
Same medicine, other manufacturers (not reported short)
Same active ingredient, dosage form & route as the shortage (matched on the FDB HICL ingredient code), from makers that have not filed a shortage with the FDA:
| Product | Strength | Form / route | Manufacturer | NDC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection · Intravenous | B. Braun Medical Inc. | 00264-7385-50 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 100 mL/100mL | Injection, Solution · Intravenous | Baxter Healthcare Company | 00338-0013-04 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection · Intramuscular, Intravenous, Subcutaneous | Hospira, Inc. | 00409-0024-10 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection, Solution · Intravenous | American Regent, Inc. | 00517-3010-25 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection, Solution · Intramuscular, Intravenous, Subcutaneous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | 00641-6147-25 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection, Solution · Intravenous | ICU Medical Inc. | 00990-7118-07 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1000 mL/1000mL | Injection, Solution · Intravenous | ICU Medical Inc. | 00990-7990-09 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1000 mL/1000mL | Injection, Solution · Intravenous | Becton Dickinson and Company | 17271-0750-07 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection · Intramuscular, Intravenous, Subcutaneous | A-S Medication Solutions | 50090-2874-01 |
| Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection, Solution | Siegfried Hameln GmbH | 52919-0005-05 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection · Intramuscular, Intravenous, Subcutaneous | Cardinal Health 107, LLC | 55154-0127-05 |
| Sterile Water | WATER 1 mL/mL | Injection · Intramuscular, Intravenous, Subcutaneous | Chartwell RX, LLC | 62135-0833-84 |
Therapeutic equivalents & pricing 21 productsclick to expand
Orange Book–rated equivalents of the affected sizes, with the latest NADAC price (a federal retail-acquisition benchmark, not your copay) and an evidence-based availability label. Cheapest first.
| Product | Manufacturer | Package | NADAC $/unit | AB rating | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Fresenius | 25 vials | $0.066 | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Hospira, | 25 vials | $0.315 | — | Availability likely |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Hospira, | 25 vials | $0.315 | — | Availability likely |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Fresenius | 25 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Asclemed | 10 ml | — | — | FDA listed |
| Bacteriostatic Water 1 mL/mL | Medical | 1 vial | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Civica, | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Henry | 1 vial | — | — | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | A-S | 25 vials | — | — | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Cardinal | 5 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Hikma | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Henry | 1 vial | — | — | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Cardinal | 5 vials | — | — | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | ProPharma | 50 ml | — | — | FDA listed |
| Bacteriostatic Water 1 mL/mL | Henry | 1 vial | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Medical | 1 vial | — | — | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | REMEDYREPACK | 25 vials | — | — | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1 mL/mL | Fresenius | 25 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1000 mL/1000mL | Fresenius | 1000 ml | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1000 mL/1000mL | Becton | 1000 ml | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Sterile Water 1000 mL/1000mL | ICU | 12 pouches | — | AP | FDA listed |
Equivalents share the same ingredient, strength, dosage form and route; an AB rating means the FDA considers them substitutable. NADAC is a national retail-pharmacy acquisition benchmark from CMS — not what you pay. Availability is inferred from recent pricing, not a stock check.
Other drugs in the same treatment class
These are different medicines — not other versions of Sterile Water Injection — that fall in the same broad treatment class (water) . They are not automatic substitutes: they can differ in how they work, dosing, effectiveness, side effects and what they’re approved to treat. Do not switch on your own. This list is for information only — ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether any of them is appropriate for you.
Identity & classification
Where does this data come from?
Other other shortages
Sterile Water Injection shortage FAQs
Is Sterile Water Injection in shortage?
Why is Sterile Water Injection in shortage?
Which products are affected?
When will Sterile Water Injection be available again?
Can I still get Sterile Water somewhere?
What should I do if I take Sterile Water Injection?
Still have a question about the Sterile Water Injection shortage?
Ask a pharmacist about this shortage →View Sterile Water Injection on the FDA drug-shortage database →
Where does this data come from?
/drug/shortages) — drug, manufacturer & contact, NDC/product, status, availability, reason, therapeutic category and posting/update dates. Current / To Be Discontinued = active; Resolved is kept for history. The Supply-Risk rating is assessed per active ingredient and adds the FDA NDC Directory (still-marketed manufacturers by ingredient & form); same-medicine and equivalent products use First Databank classification + CMS NADAC pricing; Medicaid use + most-affected states come from CMS Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data. Reference only — confirm current status with the manufacturer or FDA before acting on it.