A Greystone Associates report concludes that prefilled syringes will become increasingly popular and will replace many drug vials.
Will drug vials be a vanishing breed? That's the contention of a market research firm, Greystone Associates, which contends that they will be replaced by prefilled syringes for patient self administration. The Amherst, N.H., firm believes that vials will be limited to only a handful of low-volume specialized drugs in the future. What's driving prefilled syringes? Greystone explained that cost containment by managed care, especially for chronic conditions, is behind this development. Also fueling this trend is the design of user-friendly syringes and the availability of an increasing number of drugs in prefilled disposable cartridges. More information on Greystone's report, Prefilled Syringes: Drugs, Devices and Disease Therapeutics, is available on their