Expert opinion on drug delivery
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Expert Opin Drug Deliv · Feb 2020
Hold the device against the skin: the impact of injection duration on user's force for handheld autoinjectors.
Background: The recent development of high-volume subcutaneous drug delivery using handheld autoinjectors has resulted in longer injection durations. However, the usability of long injections has been neglected. This study aimed to investigate the effects of injection duration on users' ability to apply injections while holding the device against the skin at the injection site. ⋯ Initial empirical evidence was also determined on the negative association being more pronounced for users exerting lower force to hold the device against the skin. Conclusions: The results that are subject to future clinical validation suggest the feasibility of injections lasting up to approximately 30 s using handheld autoinjectors. The participants of the simulated use study successfully applied long-duration injections regardless of disease states, age, or visual and dexterity impairments.