It is applied medicinally as an oral prescription drugoften in tablets or capsulesand used industrially as a food additive (E263) for buffering and stabilizing.

Its main medical purpose is to lower high blood phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia) levels in patients with severe kidney disease on dialysis by binding dietary phosphate in the gut so it gets eliminated before absorption.

Calcium acetate is a white hygroscopic crystalline powder or solid that is highly soluble in water and acts as a phosphate-binding agent.