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What’s the Difference between a Vaccine Needle & Syringe and an Insulin Needle & Syringe?

There are several types of Needles and Syringes, each of which is designed for a specific purpose. Some Syringes are equipped with needles while others are designed for oral administration. There are Syringes used for the extraction of substances, as well as multi-shot needle Syringes, and single use Syringes. Two of the most common types are Insulin Syringes and Vaccine Syringes.

What is a Syringe?

Both Vaccine Syringes and Insulin Syringes are essentially the same type of device. They have a pump consisting of a snugly fit piston (or plunger) within a calibrated glass or plastic cylinder called a barrel. The syringe is equipped with a hypodermic needle, nozzle, or tubing that helps direct the flow of the medication into the body. The plunger can be pushed or pulled within the cylinder, either administering or extracting liquid to or from the body.

An Insulin or Vaccine Needle and Syringe can also be sterile, meaning it has been cleaned, disinfected, and wrapped in sealed plastic to prevent the infiltration of bacteria.

Vaccine Syringes vs. Insulin Syringes

There are some key differences between a Vaccine Needle and Syringe and an Insulin Needle and Syringe.

1. Type of needle
An Insulin Syringe often has a shorter needle than a Vaccine Syringe, because insulin shots are designed for subcutaneous injections, while many vaccines require an intramuscular injection that reaches the deep tissue. For that reason, a Vaccine Needle will typically be longer.

2. Professional vs. self-injection
An Insulin Needle is designed for self-administration at home, whereas a Vaccine Needle is nearly always administered by trained medical professionals. For that reason, Insulin Syringes will typically have markings in insulin units to simplify drawing a measured dose and limit the amount of dead space in the cylinder to prevent improper dosage.

3. Needle gauge
A Vaccine Needle must reach the right tissue to produce the desired immune response, so the needle gauge will change, based on the type of vaccine and the required delivery route. Because Insulin Syringes are used so frequently, they will often have a smaller needle gauge (thickness) to lessen the pain and discomfort of administration.

Welmed has the Sterile Vaccine and Insulin Syringes you need

Welmed has a line of both Sterile Vaccine and Insulin Needles and Syringes, including Safety Needles, for use on the healthcare frontlines in addition to bulk Non-Sterile Syringes and Needles for inclusion in Sterile Surgical Packs. As one of the few remaining privately held medical and surgical products manufacturers, Welmed is dedicated to providing quality products.

We are directly accountable to the facilities and end users who use our Syringes, Needles, and other products, so we dedicate a lot of time, effort, and resources to ensure we deliver the best quality within the promised timeframe.

We source the products your facility requires

Sterile Vaccine Syringes are in high demand due to the COVID-19 vaccine. At Welmed, we have strong stocking positions on our broad line of Sterile Syringes and Needles.