CDC Grand Rounds: Preventing Unsafe Injection Practices in the U.S. Health-Care System

Injectable medicines commonly are used in health-care settings for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various illnesses. Examples include chemotherapy, intravenous antibiotics, vaccinations, and medications used for sedation and anesthesia. Medical injections often are administered in conjunction with surgical procedures, endoscopy, imaging studies, pain control, and cosmetic or complementary and alternative medicine procedures. Safe manufacturing and pharmacy practices are essential because every injection must begin with sterile medication. The appropriate medication must then be safely prepared (typically drawn up in a syringe), then administered in a manner that maintains sterility and minimizes risk for infection. Safe administration depends on adherence to the practices outlined in CDC's evidence-based Standard Precautions guideline. Health-care providers should never 1) administer medications from the same syringe to more than one patient, 2) enter a vial with a used syringe or needle, or 3) administer medications from single-dose vials to multiple patients. They also should maintain aseptic technique at all times and properly dispose of used injection equipment.