Pre-filled syringes are revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare in general. They are from approved pharmaceutical companies and contain the proper single-use dosage, improving access for healthcare practitioners and patients. The convenience of these syringes even more welcomes patients with self-applicable treatments at home.
Most stakeholders in the healthcare industry are welcoming the rise of pre-filled syringes, and the reasons are not far-fetched. Practitioners and patients now have a more convenient and safe option in these syringes compared to the risks associated with traditional vials. These risks are numerous including:
- Wrong dosage measurement
- Waste of excess medications
- Contamination
- Limited time of sterility
Pre-filled syringes reduce these risks, replacing them with benefits like convenience, safety, accuracy, and affordability.
What are the Benefits of Pre-Filled Syringes?
The market for pre-filled syringes is growing, with a valuation of $7.1 billion as of 2024. This figure keeps rising, with expectations of reaching $13.1 billion by 2030. This trajectory is not surprising, considering how revolutionary these products are. Some of the benefits driving the pre-filled syringes market are discussed below.
Convenience for Users
Convenience is arguably the best feature of pre-filled syringes. These patient-friendly syringes come with the medication already measured, allowing users to inject themselves without dealing with the hassle of getting the correct dosage. This feature makes it a welcome innovation for patients who have to self-administer injectables at home.
These syringes are also convenient for practitioners working under high pressure in emergency and operation rooms.
Safety in Packaging
Safety in pharmaceutical products and procedures trumps convenience, and this is where the debate exists on pre-filled syringes. Some professionals are still worried about the safety of these products, fearing wrong applications and other possible misuse. However, greater evidence exists supporting the safety of these products.
Notably, pre-filled syringes allow for high accuracy during application since all other steps, such as measuring dosage and mixing in vials, have already been eliminated. All that is needed is to press the plunger rod, and the medication goes through the needle to the body, displaying an epic display of sophisticated medical device packaging.
Tamper-Evidence and Traceability
One of the best features of pre-filled syringes is that they are tamper-evident. By regulation, they come with seals that help users confirm that the product they are using is original and has not been tampered with. Manufacturers also use serialization to track products and ensure they reach the right people. More importantly, they can trace them if they need to recall products that fail testing.
Sterility Management
Sterility is of great concern in pharmacy. Once a traditional vial is opened, the medication remains sterile or effective for about 12 hours. Administering the medication anytime after that poses a risk to the patient. Conversely, medications in pre-filled syringes can remain sterile for two to three years. The increased shelf life is a result of sterile packaging solutions, which make medications remain effective for longer.
How Pre-Filled Syringes are Driving Change
Pre-filled syringes are changing how pharmaceutical companies market medications, especially those used in high-pressure situations. More stakeholders welcome using these innovative syringe packaging over traditional vials as they offer greater benefits than whatever cost they incur. Notable impacts include:
Use of Innovative Materials
Pre-filled syringes are unique in their convenience and sterility management, and this is primarily because of the materials used in making them and storage methods. The latter are mostly made with glass, which is non-reactive and stable during storage. This feature helps to keep the medications sterile for longer and increases tamper-evidence.
However, this innovative syringe packaging has a significant disadvantage in its fragility. Glass can break easily, demanding greater care in handling. The alternative to this is plastic or polymer, but they are less frequently used compared to glass for pre-filled syringes. These syringes are also fitted with rubber stoppers to facilitate accurate delivery, and the siliconization process to achieve this is subject to regulations.
Compliance with Regulatory Standards
Regulatory standards for pre-filled syringes are strict. Therefore, it is no surprise that these products are not in wider circulation despite their revolutionary nature. However, they are produced following strict safety standards. Pharmaceutical companies making these products have to comply with strict regulatory standards seeking to protect patients and healthcare workers who apply these medications.
Improved Sustainability in the Sector
These days, most innovations are judged by their eco-friendliness. The idea of sustainable healthcare is trending, and innovations like pre-filled syringes align with the movement. For context, multiple-dose vials cannot be used for more than one patient, so they are usually discarded after each use, even if there are some unused drugs in them. Pre-filled syringes are made with a measured dose that prevents waste.
Concluding Remarks on Pre-Filled Syringes Packaging
It is premature to determine how big the market for pre-filled syringes will become. What you can be sure of is its growth, which is being propelled by a demand for more injectable drugs in pre-filled syringes. With this upward trajectory, the evolution of packaging is unavoidable. Manufacturers will keep fine-tuning the balance between convenience and safety, exploring alternatives to current materials.