polyethylene glycol ointment

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) ointment is a water-soluble, non-greasy topical vehicle used as a placebo control in clinical research. In a Phase 4 trial sponsored by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, this formulation was utilized as the comparator arm to evaluate the efficacy of intermittent 2% mupirocin ointment in preventing recurrent Staphylococcus aureus infections. PEG is a polyether compound that, in ointment form, provides a stable base without intrinsic antimicrobial activity, allowing for the blinded assessment of active topical antibiotics. It is commonly composed of a mixture of different molecular weight PEG polymers to achieve the desired consistency for topical application.

Other names

polyethylene glycolPEG ointment