BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a global medical technology company, announced today the launch of BD Ultra-FineT Nano – the world’s smallest pen needle. The BD Nano pen needle is proven to be as effective as longer needles for patients of all body types and proven to offer a less painful injection experience for the more than 5 million people in the United States who inject insulin or GLP-1 to manage their diabetes.
“BD is committed to helping improve the injection experience for the millions of people who live with diabetes, as demonstrated by our long history of innovative firsts — the first insulin syringe in 1924, the first 5 mm pen needle in 1999 and the now the world’s first 4 mm pen needle, the BD Nano,” said Linda Tharby, President, BD Medical – Diabetes Care. “We are confident that this tiny needle can have a big impact by easing diabetes patients’ transition and ongoing adherence to injectable drug therapy regimens – a key element in helping to reduce the disease’s deadly, debilitating and costly complications.” Studies suggest that as many as one-fifth to one-third of people with diabetes are hesitant or unwilling to give themselves insulin injections for reasons that include needle anxiety. Patients who reported injection-related pain or embarrassment intentionally skipped insulin injections. The short length (4 mm) and thin gauge (32 G) of the BD Nano pen needle may help people with diabetes adhere to an insulin injection regimen and improve outcomes with its comfort and ease of use .
“Diabetes tools have just gotten a lot better with the release of BD’s new 4 mm insulin pen needle,” said Kris Swenson, RN, CDE and co-owner and co-founder of the Diabetes Management and Training Centers, Inc. in Phoenix, AZ. “The latest science shows that insulin injections with these new short and fine pen needles are just as effective in the delivery of insulin, and also much less frightening. This should help people get started on insulin much sooner, before long-term health problems occur.” Clinical trials demonstrated that insulin injections with the BD Nano pen needle provide equivalent glucose control to longer insulin pen needles. It effectively delivers an insulin dose to subcutaneous tissue (the layer of fat below the skin), the recommended site for insulin injections, while reducing the risk of injecting into muscle. Intramuscular injection can accelerate absorption and increase the risk of hypoglycemia (abnormally low blood sugar). Subcutaneous injection allows the insulin to be absorbed at an appropriate rate, resulting in better glycemic control .
