▁it ▁is ▁often ▁only ▁used ▁for ▁two ▁days ▁until ▁b acter ial ▁cult ures ▁determine ▁what ▁specific ▁ant ib iot ics ▁the ▁in fection ▁is ▁sensitive ▁to . ▁The ▁do se ▁required ▁should ▁be ▁monitor ed ▁by ▁blood ▁testing . ▁ ▁Gent am ic in ▁can ▁cause ▁inner ▁ear ▁problems ▁and ▁kid ney ▁problems . ▁The ▁inner ▁ear ▁problems ▁can ▁include ▁problems ▁with ▁balance ▁and ▁hearing ▁loss . ▁These ▁problems ▁may ▁be ▁permanent . ▁If ▁used ▁during ▁pre gn ancy , ▁it ▁can ▁cause ▁harm ▁to ▁the ▁developing ▁baby . ▁However , ▁it ▁appears ▁to ▁be ▁safe ▁for ▁use ▁during ▁breast feed ing . ▁Gent am ic in ▁is ▁a ▁type ▁of ▁am in og ly cos ide . ▁It ▁works ▁by ▁dis rupt ing ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁the ▁b acter ia ▁to ▁make ▁prote ins , ▁which ▁typically ▁k ills ▁the ▁b acter ia . ▁ ▁Gent am ic in ▁was ▁pat ented ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁and ▁approved ▁for ▁medical ▁use ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁It ▁is ▁made ▁from ▁the ▁b acter ium ▁Mic rom on os por a ▁pur p ure a . ▁It ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁World ▁Health ▁Organ ization ' s ▁List ▁of ▁Ess ential ▁Medic ines , ▁the ▁saf est ▁and ▁most ▁effective ▁medic ines ▁needed ▁in ▁a ▁health ▁system . ▁The ▁World ▁Health ▁Organ ization ▁class ifies ▁gent am ic in ▁as ▁crit ically ▁important ▁for ▁human ▁medicine . ▁It ▁is ▁available ▁as ▁a ▁generic ▁medic ation . ▁The ▁inject able