September 4, 2007

Needle-Free Device Improves Life for Fuzeon Users

People who use Fuzeon, an injectable antiviral drug known as a fusion inhibitor, should toss their syringes, according to a study published in the October issue of the journal HIV Medicine. The study found that a needle-free device, called a Biojector, caused fewer injection-site reactions (ISRs) than standard syringes and improved quality of life for Fuzeon users.

For the study, Canadian researchers asked 201 people who were currently using or about to start using Fuzeon to complete a survey of ISRs while still using standard syringes and then a minimum of 14 days after switching to the Biojector. Everyone used standard syringes for at least two weeks before switching to the Biojector.

Researchers found that both the number and severity of ISRs decreased after the switch, while people’s quality of life increased. At the study’s conclusion, 74 percent of the participants preferred using the Biojector.