Pharmaceutical packaging has come a long way in the last few years. Pre-filled syringes (PFS) are one of the latest innovations in this field. And they are quickly becoming the standard for many types of medications.
What is a Pre-Filled Syringe(PFS)?
A pre-filled syringe is a disposable syringe that is already loaded with liquid. It is designed to save time and nursing costs by allowing medication to be pre-loaded into syringes. This also helps to ensure accuracy when drawing up medications.
PFS is a sterilized and cleansed package that does not have pyrogens or particles. It can be filled directly in pharmaceutical enterprises’ clean rooms. Some products such as hyaluronic acids and vaccines are included in PFS.
The prefillable syringe is a great invention that makes it easy and fast to inject fluids. More manufacturers are investing in it to meet the needs of healthcare professionals.
The benefits of using Pre-Filled syringe(PFS) packaging
Pre-filled syringes are an important innovation in drug packaging. They offer many benefits over traditional vials and ampoules in many aspects.
- Borosilicate Glass and rubber components are used to ensure the stability of the packaged drugs.
- It is significant to reduce the waste of drugs caused by the adsorption of storage and transfer. That is important for expensive biochemical preparations.
- Avoid repeated suction after using a diluent to reduce the chance of secondary pollution.
- The quantitative filling of liquid medicine by filling machine is more accurate than that of medical staff by hand.
- It is easy to operate and saves half of the time compared with using ampoules, so it is suitable for emergency patients.
What types of drugs with a Pre-Filled syringe(PFS)?
The pre-filled syringe is a higher-level drug packaging material. It is used to package biological products and expensive drugs such as insulin, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, interferons, growth hormones, and hyaluronic acids.
Pre-filled syringes are also widely used in medical and beauty products. In the beauty industry, pre-fillable syringes are commonly used to apply dermal fillers and other products.
Some of the challenges that come with using Pre-Filled syringes (PFS)
The design, manufacturing, quality, and choice of a pre-filled syringe are critical. The other components and ingredients of the syringe can interact with the drugs. For example, silicone oil inside the syringe is lubricating. It is necessary to use the plunger more efficiently and smoothly.
Silicone oil also ensures that the syringe continues to work even after being stored for longer. However, silicone can be a source of particles, which could alter sensitive proteins under certain conditions—causing them to aggregate or change their form.
The future of Pre-Filled syringes (PFS)
The global prefilled syringe market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2019 to 2024. The major drivers of this market growth are the growing demand for self-injection devices. The high cost of pre-filled syringes and government regulations are limiting the growth of the market to some extent.
The future of pre-filled syringes looks promising. Needleless pre-filled syringes are expected to drive market growth over the coming years. Syringes without a needle reduce the risk of needle stick injuries and make them safer.
