The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning not to share insulin pens due to the risk of blood borne infections. Insulin pens are pen-shaped injector devices that contain a disposable needle and a source of insulin that are approved only for single-patient use.

FDA officials want to remind both doctors and patients that insulin pens and the cartridges they contain should not be used to administer medication to more than one patient. While the devices typically contain enough insulin for a patient to self-administer several doses before the reservoir or cartridge is empty, the pens should only be reused by the same patient. Sharing the pens raises the risk of transmitting blood borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.

The FDA said they had received reports of two unnamed hospitals using the same insulin pen to administer medication to more than 2,000 patients. While the hospitals reportedly replaced the needles, they continued to reuse the same insulin cartridge. The FDA wants to stress that this is an unsafe practice, the pens are designed for safe use by only one patient. Even if the needles are changed between each patient the risk of disease transmission may still exists.

Want to learn more about insulin administration for diabetes? Join the Healia Support Community for Diabetes Type I or the Healia Support Community for Diabetes Type 2.

_{Photo: RogueSun Media, Flickr, Creative Commons}