Prescription and over-the-counter medicine
Bacitracin and polymyxin b Brand names: Polycin
Bacitracin and polymyxin b (Polycin) is a prescription and over-the-counter medicine. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 3 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $2.78 per gram (Bacitracin-polymyxin eye ointment) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the bacitracin and polymyxin b FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 18, 2024, Bausch & Lomb Incorporated); every bacitracin and polymyxin b label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of October 18, 2024; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageFor the treatment of superficial ocular infections involving the conjunctiva and/or cornea caused by organisms susceptible to bacitracin zinc and polymyxin B sulfate.
Forms and strengths
Ointment.
On the market
- Generic approvals
- 4 first April 16, 1974; 1 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 3 of which 3 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included; 13 more under the over-the-counter monograph, without an application
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $2.78 per gram Bacitracin-polymyxin eye ointment
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 109 through July 30, 2026
What is bacitracin and polymyxin b used for?
From the label: indications and usageFor the treatment of superficial ocular infections involving the conjunctiva and/or cornea caused by organisms susceptible to bacitracin zinc and polymyxin B sulfate.
FDA pharmacologic class: Polymyxin-class Antibacterial.
Source: FDA drug label (Bacitracin Zinc and Polymyxin B Sulfate), Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, effective October 18, 2024 (SPL set 1b317249-30eb-4415-8a1c-cfedb4ba3549), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for bacitracin and polymyxin b (Polycin)?
The FDA approved the first generic bacitracin and polymyxin b on April 16, 1974. 4 generic applications are approved; 1 of them carries a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists bacitracin and polymyxin b from 3 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for bacitracin and polymyxin b (Polycin)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $2.78 per gram (Bacitracin-polymyxin eye ointment), about the same as a year earlier. Prices per unit in the table differ many-fold by strength, form and brand, so compare like with like. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Double antibiotic ointment (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacitracin-polymyxin eye ointment | Generic | $2.78 per gram | n/a | +0.1% |
| Double antibiotic ointment | Generic | $0.115 per gram | n/a | +14% |
| Ft double antibiotic ointment | Generic | $0.115 per gram | n/a | +14% |
| Poly bacitracin ointment | Generic | $0.159 per gram | n/a | +1% |
| Sm double antibiotic ointment | Generic | $0.115 per gram | n/a | +14% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What do FAERS reports show for bacitracin and polymyxin b?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 109 reports that list bacitracin and polymyxin b among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 24 are coded as a death and 21 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Other polymyxin-class antibacterials
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Bacitracin and polymyxin b side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other