29 gauge needles improve patient satisfaction over 27 gauge needles for daily glatiramer acetate injections

Using three surveys, a comparative assessment of needle performance and patient preference for 27-gauge (G) and 29G needles for glatiramer acetate administration for multiple sclerosis therapy was performed. Eligible patients participated in a specialty pharmacy program and administered glatiramer acetate for ≥1 month. In Survey 1 on the 27G needle, 545 (82.70%) patients reported no needle problems, 106 (16.09%) cited one type (dull, bent, or broken), five (0.76%) cited two types, and three (0.46%) cited all three types. In Survey 2 on the 29G needle, 553 (98.05%) indicated no problems, two (0.35%) cited dull needles, and nine (1.60%) cited bent needles. On the 29G needles versus 27G needles pain comparison, 219 (38.83%) reported the 29G needle was a little better, and 155 (27.48%) reported it was a lot better than the 27G. For injection-site experiences, 515 patients (91.31%) reported no, very slight, or mild reactions with the 29G needle. In Survey 3, over 76% of patients preferred the 29G to the 27G needle and significantly fewer patients reported one or more problems with the 29G needle compared to patients reporting problems with the 27G needle (P < 0.00001). In conclusion, significantly fewer patients reported problems after 30 days of use of the 29G than the 27G needle. Fewer injection-site experiences occurred with the 29G needle and the 29G needle was preferred overall.