Patient-Administered Therapies Drive New Delivery System Designs

Packaging/Drug Delivery: Patient-Administered Therapies Drive New Delivery System Designs

Author: F. J. Quinn, Pharmaceutical Commerce: Business Strategies for Pharma/Bio Success

This article discusses the history of one of the barriers for patient acceptance of injectable drugs: fear of needles. It focuses on the increasing shift from inpatient hospital care to outpatient services and how home care is driving innovation in self-administered drug-delivery systems. The article discusses obstacles associated with ensuring safe, accurate drug administration, and meeting the needs of certain patients such as those with rheumatoid arthritis, which can make manipulating a syringe difficult. Finally, it details how all of these concerns are driving increased innovation in syringe designs, added safety and dosage features, and protection against contamination from syringe components