Introduction to injection pens:

An injection pen (also known as a medication pen) is a device used to inject medications under the skin. First introduced in the 1980s, injection pens were designed to make injectable medications easier and more convenient to administer, thereby improving patient compliance. The main difference between injection pens and traditional vial and syringe administration is that they are easier to use for people with poor dexterity, poor vision, or who need portability in order to administer medications on time. Injection pens also reduce the fear or adversity of self-injecting medication, which increases the likelihood that a person will take the medication.

Injection pens are often used for medications that a person injects repeatedly over a relatively short period of time, especially insulin and insulin analogs (called insulin pens) used to treat diabetes. Many other medications are also used as injection pens, including other injectable medications used to treat diabetes, high cholesterol, migraine prevention, and other monoclonal antibodies. Studies have shown injection pens to be at least as effective as vial and syringe administration, and surveys have shown that the vast majority of people prefer injection pens to vial and syringe administration, if at all. After slow acceptance in the U.S., syringe pens have surpassed vial and syringe insulin administration in type 2 diabetes.

Use of injection pens:

The main goal of injection pens is to improve patient adherence by making it easier and more convenient for people to use injectable therapies. This is particularly problematic for injectable medications given the extra work associated with injections, and the potential aversion to self-injecting medications.

Injection pens improve patient compliance by increasing the ease of self-administration of injected medications and the portability of injected medications. Additionally, injection pens are easier to maneuver and use than pill bottles and syringes, making them suitable for people with mobility, cognitive or visual impairments, or those concerned about not being able to use pill bottles and syringes properly. For medications where not everyone follows a standard dosage, injection pens are designed to deliver the exact dose more easily and accurately, whereas vials and syringes require people to prepare the correct dose themselves. Injection pens can also remove the stigma or fear of using injectable medications in a public setting, such as administering insulin before a meal at a restaurant.

Combination syringe pens containing multiple medications used to treat a disease are intended to reduce the number of injections a person must use to administer their medications. The reduction in the number of injections required may reduce the risk of non-adherence due to forgetfulness or reluctance to self-inject medications.

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