Abstract

Carfecillin (Uticillin - Beecham), the phenyl ester of carbenicillin (Pyopen - Beecham), shares many of the properties of carbenicillin but can be taken by mouth. It should not be confused with a brand of phenoxymethyl penicillin sold in the USA as ‘Uticillin V.K’.¹ Published information on carfecillin is sparse but a similar drug, carbenicillin indanyl sodium, which is not available in Britain, has been studied in the USA,² and first reports on carfecillin^{3 4} suggest that their pharmacology and clinical actions are similar.