
December 7, 2001
Blood Tests and Insulin Injections
Question from North Richland Hills, Texas, USA:
I have come across a few unused needles that have moisture in them, and I throw those away! How can a person tell if a needle is contaminated?
Answer:
Contamination of new syringes is a remote occurrence. All syringes will have slight moisture in them because they contain a lubricant to make the barrel slide more smoothly. I would express any excess moisture and go ahead and use the syringes.
SS
[Editor’s comment: You could show a syringe that has this problem to the pharmacist. He/she can contact the manufacturer and see if there’s a problem with a particular production batch or lot.
WWQ]
[Editor’s comment: After polling several members of the D-Team, the consensus seems to be to return these syringes to your pharmacy or call the manufacturer for further advice.
SS]