Japan May Approve Use of 7-Shot Insulin Syringes to Administer COVID Vaccines - Minister

TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2021) Japan may allow hospitals to administer coronavirus vaccines using insulin syringes, which can yield seven shots per vial as opposed to the five possible with the type of syringe the government procured for making COVID-19 injections, Taro Kono, a minister in charge of the country's vaccination plan, said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the Japanese media reported that a hospital in the Kyoto Prefecture found that insulin syringes could be used to extract seven shots of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine per vial, as they have less "dead space" and less fluid is trapped between the plunger and the needle after a shot.

"The hospital in the city of Uji in the Kyoto Prefecture announced that seven doses of the vaccine may be extracted if using a special syringe, we would like this to be done. But since these needles are used for insulin injections and they are frequently used, it is necessary to do so as not to disturb people [who use them all the time].

But if there is a surplus, then I gave instructions to procure them," Kono said, as cited by the NHK broadcaster.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said that insulin syringes could be used in people with low subcutaneous fat so that the needle could reach the muscles, as they are designed for hypodermic injection, while the Phizer/BioNtech vaccine requires an intramuscular injection syringe.

Pfizer said in January it expected users of its vaccine to be able to obtain full six doses from a vial, instead of the initial five, but only with the right equipment. This raised concerns that Pfizer would retrospectively charge governments for the extra dose or count its contractual obligation fulfilled ahead of time.�In February, Kono said he was determined to get enough special syringes needed to get all six doses from a Pfizer vial despite supply shortages.