Unsanitary Syringes Putting Many at Risk

According to the World Health Organization, 1.3 million people die every year due to unsanitary and reused syringes. These syringes have been on average taking more lives than malaria every year.

Every day in countries around the world, a doctor injects a patient with medicine designed to cure or prevent a disease, that same syringe is then reloaded with medicine and used for the next patient in line. The syringe was dirty and qualified as unsafe to use after the syringe was removed from the first patient. The second patient in line is now at risk of contracting any disease from the doctor who was supposed to cure. The World Health Organization predicts about 40 percent of all the injections are with unsterilized, reused, dirty syringes and needles. This is a problem that can be controlled if not stopped completely.

Most countries are certainly not the only place the reuse of syringes occurs. People with diabetes have found to be notorious of the practice. Due to diabetics' need for insulin and constant injections, they are using needles and syringes on a daily basis. With the need for constant use, a lot of diabetic patients run into the same problem many countries have - the need to save money. It is never recommended that a diabetic patient reuses needles, however, it does happen amongst this community.

Habitual injectable drug users also are a big percentage of those who use unsanitary syringes. For drug users and diabetics, unsanitary needles are still a problem, even when the option for a new sanitary needle exists.

To help curve the problem of the use of unsanitary syringes and needles multiple approaches have been taken. The first most effective approach that has been taken is the invention of the auto-disable syringe. These syringes are designed to be single-use syringes. They have an internal mechanism that blocks the barrel once it has been used it cannot be used again. This has forced many clinics, and various practices to use new sanitary syringes each and every time. Similar concepts have been used for diabetics who need insulin injections. Insulin distributors have even taken the approach to only use cartridges for each injection needed, thus forcing the user to use a different needle each time. For habitual drug users, there have been many programs across the United States and other countries that offer an exchange for dirty needles. These programs have taken dirty used syringes and distribute new sanitary ones. All of these methods have had a big effect on the massive problem that has developed. With programs and inventions like the auto-disable syringe, the death of 1.3 million people annually no longer needs to continue.

AdvaCare produces a wide range of injection instruments, including Auto-disable Syringes, Safety Syringes, Insulin Syringes and Disposable Syringes.

Visit the following URL’s to view safety and tips for syringe use:

http://medicaloutreach.americares.org/wp-content/uploads/WHO-Giving-Safe-Injections-.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/injectionsafety/patients/syringereuse_faqs.html