The importance of patient compliance with insulin pens: how can a new user-friendly pen help?

Abstract

FlexTouch® (FT) is a new prefilled insulin pen with the unique characteristic of no extendable push button at any dose setting and consequently a low activation force. Its technical features along with health care professionals' and patients' preferences in comparison to other traditionally used devices for insulin delivery have already been investigated. Recently, a study of injection force and accuracy using FT in the delivery of new basal insulin has compared FT with the insulin pens KwikPen® and SoloStar® and has shown that FT exhibits preciseness in insulin delivery of all insulin formulations and a significantly lower activation force than the other two insulin injectors. Despite the very promising characteristics of this new device, important questions remain to be answered, mainly the possible promotion of treatment adherence and the notion of confidence in self-administration of insulin. Moreover, an analysis of patients' perception on injecting higher doses with FT in comparison to other insulin injectors would be useful.

Keywords::

• compliance
• devices
• diabetes mellitus
• insulin pens
• treatment