Vancomycin and Colistin Interaction
Drug interaction information between Vancomycin and Colistin.
Vancomycin and Colistin have a documented minor interaction in FDA labeling.
FDA drug labeling documents a minor-severity interaction between Vancomycin and Colistin. This page displays the available source-record category and label text. The category is not an individual risk estimate or medication-combination direction.
How They Interact
Both of these drugs can be harmful to the kidneys, and using them at the same time increases the risk of kidney damage.
FDA Label Information
Monitor renal function in patients receiving vancomycin and concurrent and/or sequential systemic or topical use of other potentially, neurotoxic and/or nephrotoxic drugs, such as amphotericin B, aminoglycosides, bacitracin, polymyxin B, colistin, viomycin, or cisplatin.
Vancomycin Also Interacts With
- Cidofovir major
- Amphotericin B minor
- Piperacillin/Tazobactam minor
- Rosiglitazone minor
- Trospium minor
Frequently Asked Questions
What SPL severity band is on file for Vancomycin + Colistin?
Compiled FDA labeling labels this pair minor. That is a source-record field, not an individual medication-combination decision.
Which drug in this pair has the larger labeled-interaction portfolio?
Vancomycin has 6 labeled pairs on file vs Colistin's 1. In the minor band specifically: Vancomycin has 5 (also Amphotericin B, Piperacillin/Tazobactam, Rosiglitazone, Trospium); Colistin has 1.
What mechanism field is on file for Vancomycin and Colistin?
Both of these drugs can be harmful to the kidneys, and using them at the same time increases the risk of kidney damage.
Vancomycin carries more major-labeled pairs than Colistin
SPL source-record counts only. This page's band is minor · classes on file: Vancomycin (Glycopeptide Antibiotic); Colistin (Polymyxin Antibiotic).
Vancomycin has 1 major-labeled pair vs Colistin's 0. This page itself is in the minor band, not the major band.
1 major · 0 moderate · 5 minor · 6 total
- Other minor peers for Vancomycin
- Amphotericin B
- Piperacillin/Tazobactam
- Rosiglitazone
- Trospium
0 major · 0 moderate · 1 minor · 1 total
Colistin has no other minor-band peer in this dataset besides Vancomycin.
Sources: FDA Drug Labels (SPL) via openFDA (2026). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This registry does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.