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Can Povidone-Iodine (PVP-I) solutions be diluted?

Povidone-Iodine (PVP-I) solutions are OTC drug products and considered safe and effective as is for the following uses:

• Patient preoperative skin preparation
• Healthcare personnel hand wash
• Surgical hand scrub

Adding anything (including water) to the product is considered adulteration. As the manufacturer of these products, we cannot recommend their dilution or the addition of any other solids or liquids to our solutions.

There is also an increased risk of contamination when solutions are diluted.  See Povidone-Iodine: The Case for Sterility.

In addition, diluting PVP-I with water can actually increase the amount of free iodine in solution which will make it more irritating.

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