This guideline provides global, evidence-based recommendations on the use of safety-engineered injection devices to prevent the re-use of syringes and/or prevent needle-stick injuries in health care workers (HCWs). The ultimate aim is to make injection practices safer for patients and HCWs, and to prevent the injection-related transmission of deadly viruses, particularly HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B.

The procedures covered are intramuscular (IM), intradermal (ID) and subcutaneous (SC) injections, including the syringes needed for the reconstitution of medication or vaccines when required.

Other procedures, such as intravenous injections and infusions, blood collection for laboratory testing, and capillary blood sampling, will be covered by another guideline to be issued separately by WHO.

The policy recommendation aims to support Member States (MS) and development partners in making informed decisions on the appropriateness of introducing safety-engineered syringes for all injections in health care settings.

Contents

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• SCOPE AND PURPOSE
• TARGET AUDIENCE
• BACKGROUND
• METHODOLOGY
  • 1 Guideline questions
  • 2 Systematic review
  • 3 GRADE approach
• GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
  • 1 The Guideline Steering Committee
  • 2 The Guideline Development Group (GDG)
  • 3 External experts for final peer-review
• MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
• RECOMMENDATIONS
  • Question 1 Should syringes with a sharps injury protection feature be introduced among health care workers delivering intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intradermal injectable medications?
  • Question 2 Should syringes with a re-use prevention feature be introduced among HCWs delivering intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intradermal injectable medications?
• IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
  • 1 Research needed for both types of devices (RUPs and SIPs)
  • 2 Research specific to syringes with a sharps injury protection (SIP) mechanism
• CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE GUIDELINES
• DISSEMINATION, ADAPTATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
  • 1 Dissemination
  • 2 Adaptation and implementation
  • 3 Monitoring and evaluation of guideline implementation
• PLANS FOR UPDATING THIS GUIDELINE
• REFERENCES

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