Diabetes Duo Pen Needle Debuts at Retail Pharmacies

BD Medical, a segment of medical technology company Becton, Dickinson and Co (BD), has announced that its BD AutoShield Duo, a pen needle designed to help patients with diabetes inject insulin safely, is now available nationwide at major retail pharmacies.

In addition to reducing the potential for accidental needle sticks, the dual front- and back-end shields of the BD AutoShield Duo conceal the needle to help alleviate stress and anxiety in patients prior to the actual injection. In fact, BD Medical stated “pharmacists have reported that a less visible needle may reduce stress and other potential psychological barriers associated with injection for some patients.”

Because there is no inner needle shield, there is also no need for patients to re-cap the product after use, the company said.

"Diabetes is a self-managed disease that requires constant monitoring and involvement to achieve personal goals,” said Ranjeet Banerjee, Worldwide President of BD Medical. “By simplifying the steps, BD AutoShield Duo pen needles can help make insulin injection easier, safer, and more convenient than ever before.”

In an effort to increase diabetics’ confidence in injecting insulin, the front-end shield of the BD AutoShield Duo clicks to indicate that the needle has fully penetrated the skin, and a red band appears when the injection is complete, the announcement said.

In 2012, the American Diabetes Association reported that about 9.3% of the US population was managing some form of diabetes. As of 2010, diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.