The Safe Injection Practices Coalition created an insulin pen poster and brochure for healthcare providers as a reminder that insulin pens and other injectable medications are meant for one person and should never be shared. PDFs of these educational materials are linked below:
Specific Materials for Safe Use of Insulin Pens – for Clinicians and Patients
Click here to order free copies of these materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (publication numbers 22-1501 and 22-1503).
Additional Resources
- VA Patient Safety Alert: Multi-Dose Pen Injectors (Department of Veterans Affairs, January 2013)
- CMS Survey and Certification Letter: Use of Insulin Pens in Health Care Facilities (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, May 2012)
- CDC Clinical Reminder: Insulin Pens Must Never Be Used for More than One Person (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2012)
- FDA Information for Healthcare Professionals: Risk of Transmission of Blood-borne Pathogens from Shared Use of Insulin Pens (Food and Drug Administration, March 2009)
Medscape Commentary – Don't Do It: Sharing Insulin Pens Jeopardizes Patients
Medscape Commentary (February 21, 2012)
Dr. Melissa Schaefer, Medical Officer in the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), discusses key points on the safe use of insuling pens in this CDC Expert Commentary hosted by Medscape.