Frequently asked questions

1. What is an insulin pen?
2. Why are insulin pens now being used in hospitals?
3. What is the BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle?
4. What makes the BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle a safety needle?
5. Is it safe to touch the back end of a used pen needle?
6. What safety pen needle sizes does BD offer?
7. Why should our hospital use BD insulin pen needles?
8. What are the catalog numbers for BD AutoShield?

1. What is an insulin pen?

   • Insulin pens are the size and shape of a large marker. They carry insulin in a self-contained cartridge. Insulin pens are easy to use and growing in popularity.
     
     
   • Some people use insulin pens for all their injections, while others carry them when they're "on the go" and rely on less expensive and more versatile syringes when they are:
     
     • mixing different insulins
       
       
     • taking an insulin that isn't available in a pen
       
       
     • at home
       
       
   • Insulin pens are used with pen needles that are sold separately. A new pen needle should be used for each injection.
     
     
   • Insulin pens are not sold or distributed by BD. They are manufactured and sold by three major insulin companies in the US: Eli Lilly, Sanofi-Aventis, and Novo Nordisk. As a company, we manufacture and sell "pen needles" that can be used on any of these insulin pens. Learn more about insulin pens.

     

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2. Why are insulin pens now being used in hospitals?

   In recent years, pens have become popular among people with diabetes. To provide continuity of care, some hospitals are now considering use of insulin pens.

   Insulin pens may contribute cost savings. Pens contain 300 units of insulin, a good quantity for patients who are admitted for a 2-3 day hospital stay. By contrast, insulin vials contain 1,000 units of insulin; any excess insulin must be discarded after the patient is discharged.

   In the US, hospitals could not make this transition due to the lack of a safety-engineered pen needle. BD now offers a safety-engineered pen needle, the BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle.

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3. What is the BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle?

   • BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle is a safety-engineered pen needle using BD Needle Technology... your trusted choice from the worldwide leader in insulin delivery and safety-engineered devices.
     
     
   • The broad shield diameter reduces pressure on skin, while the hidden needle before and after injection provides a less intimidating experience.
     
     
   • Three metal clips act as a visual confirmation that the safety feature has been activated.
     
     
   • One needle length for all patients: ½-inch needle length provides diabetes control for patients of all BMIs.
     
     
   • This product has been 510K approved for use with all pen injector devices.

     

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4. What makes the BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle a safety needle?

   • BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle has been designed to help prevent accidental needlesticks.
     
     
   • All safety pen needles currently on the market have the back end exposed. If handled properly, the risk of an accidental needle stick is minimal when compared to conventional pen needles.

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5. Is it safe to touch the back end of a used pen needle?

   • With proper handling, the back end of the needle would normally not be touched.

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6. What safety pen needle sizes does BD offer?

   • Most insulin syringes used in the hospital setting use a 29 gauge by ½" needle, the same as the BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle.
     
     
   • While some patients achieve good control with a short pen needle, there are some who do not. Therefore, if you want to stock only one pen needle size, BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle is your best choice.
     
     
   • Among self-injectors, a shorter needle is often preferred because it is less intimidating. With BD AutoShield™ Pen Needle the needle is covered, so needlephobia is not an issue.

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7. Why should our hospital use BD insulin pen needles?

   Your facility can use BD products with confidence because BD is the leader in healthcare worker safety:

   • Pioneered safety products: BD introduced the world's first safety-engineered syringe.
     
     
   • Track record in multiple technologies: BD offers the most extensive array of safety-engineered injection products available.
     
     
   • Leadership in safety insulin delivery: The majority of all safety-engineered insulin syringes used in the United States are BD brand.*
     
     
   • Hospital leadership: More hospitals in the United States use BD insulin syringes than any other brand.*

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8. What are the catalog numbers for BD AutoShield?

   • The catalog number for the 12.7mm length is 329300. The catalog number for the 8mm length is 329308.

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* Data on file.