BD Medical’s Autoshield Duo Pen Needle Tackles “Needlephobia,” Now Available in the US
Twitter summary: BD’s new pen needle attacks #needlephobia at the source – now available at US pharmacies
On August 6, BD announced the US launch of the Autoshield Duo Pen Needle. This technology aims to tackle “needlephobia” at the source by making the needle virtually invisible throughout the entire injection process. Two shields (one in front and one in back) completely cover the needle, which prevents exposure before and after an insulin injection. Immediately after injection, the front shield clicks to confirm the needle has penetrated the skin, and shortly after, a red band appears to indicate that the injection is complete. These shields could also improve safety in hospital or when taking insulin in schools, as there would be no risk of loose needles lying around. The needle also doesn’t require re-capping after injection, meaning users can dispose of the needle whenever it’s convenient for them. For young kids, anyone newly diagnosed with diabetes, people who “inject on the go,” or those who generally have a strong aversion to needles, the new BD needle may provide a more comforting and safer method for handling injections – you can learn more about the product and how to use it with this neat graphic on the BD website. Needle injections can cause anxiety for many people, and it’s heartening to see many companies (BD, Medtronic, and Lilly among them) working to decrease the frequency, visibility, and pain of injections. What else would you like to see on this front? Write comments@diaTribe.org to fill us in so we can share your views more widely. –AJW/VI/KC
