Key Attributes of a Reusable Insulin Pen Injector That Balances Optimal Insulin Delivery With Sustainability.

The global burden of diabetes continues to rise, resulting in a concomitant increase in the global demand for insulin replacement therapies. Subcutaneous insulin administration using pen injectors is one of the most common insulin delivery methods; these devices are often preferred over vial and syringe administration by individuals with diabetes owing to their convenience and ease of use, and by clinicians owing to enhanced user adherence and high dose accuracy. However, prefilled insulin pen injectors are commonly made of plastic and many are disposable; consequently, both their production and use are associated with a high carbon footprint and substantial medical waste through poor recycling infrastructures, posing a growing environmental concern. Historically, producing durable insulin pen injectors required high-quality metal components, which are more environmentally taxing despite being reusable. Conversely, plastic has a lower environmental footprint per unit but conventional plastic pen injectors have lacked durability, leading to greater consumption overall. Therefore, reusable insulin pen injectors that can be used repeatedly for several years, while also being easy to use and accurate, are essential for sustainable diabetes management. Novo Nordisk has developed several insulin pen injectors, such as NovoPen (NP) 4 (a reusable pen part of the NP family), FlexTouch (a disposable pen) and, more recently, DuraTouch (DT; a reusable pen). Here, we describe the technical attributes of DT using other pen injectors manufactured by Novo Nordisk as contextual comparators to illustrate how DT may meet users' functional needs, while helping to reduce the environmental burden associated with the use of insulin pen injectors.