Events

Needle-free diluent technology

Jan 1, 2010

PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY EUROPE

The Needle-free diluent kit is a concept created by Bioluz and Technoflex in response to the FDA and the UK's National Health Service (NHS) publishing recommendations to prevent healthcare staff from needle-stick injuries during the reconstitution on intravenous (IV) drugs.

The kit consists of the active substance in a vial (lyophilized powder), a diluent bag and a sterile, blister-packaged needle-free device. Reconstituting the IV drug into a flexible bag is completed within a few steps.

Compared with traditional methods, this technology is easy to use, safe (needle-free), avoids mixing errors and saves time because all components are provided in the same package. Furthermore, as the vial is always attached to the bag, it is clear which active substance has been added in the bag and how much. Although this technology is more expensive than traditional methods, its benefits outweigh the cost, as evidenced by its popularity in the US; we expect a similar uptake in Europe. Eventually, we hope to improve this technology by supplying the kit pre-assembled.