Meeting demand for syringe packaging to support COVID-19 vaccination

This article has been updated on 13/01/2022

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated societal changes, from remote working to the boom of ecommerce and the adoption of telemedicine. Efforts to contain the virus have also led to the implementation of large-scale test and tracking systems, and unprecedented joined research efforts to find, develop and implement a vaccine. In response to the scale of the situation, the European Commission developed in 2020 a strategy to accelerate the development, manufacturing and deployment of vaccines(1).

So far, four vaccines against COVID-19 have been authorised for use in the EU following positive scientific review by the European Medicines Agency(2). However, the truly global nature of this pandemic means that a sustainable path out of this health crisis will depend on progress on the global level. Which is why the EU, and its member states, have taken a common EU approach to securing supplies, facilitating their distribution while remaining engaged in the Global COVAX Facility(3), an initiative to coordinate the procurement and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines(4).

To speed up the roll out of vaccines across its territory, the EU set up a task force to increase production capacity for vaccines and to identify production and supply chains issues(5). To put the scale of the vaccination challenge into focus, over 1 billion doses of vaccine produced in the EU have been exported and delivered worldwide from the European Union in the past 10 months(6) (some through donations to COVAX(7)), meaning that the same number of syringes and needles were needed to deliver these vaccines.
Due to the global scale of the vaccination programme and the urgency of delivery, the WHO has warned on a possible shortage of one to two billion syringes needed to administer COVID-19 vaccinations in 2022(8).

Medical Device Manufacturers will need to continue to carefully monitor their stocks to avoid any shortage in supply of sterile syringes and needles. As syringes are produced in volume in highly automated plants to extremely high standards, the quality and guaranteed robustness of the components and the production process are key to maximising output and efficiency for such a critical device.

However, the production process is just the first step, ensuring syringes and needles reach the healthcare providers, and ultimately the patient, in a sterile condition is an ongoing and significant challenge. The risk to pack integrity during distribution can be high, and costs need to be balanced against effective packaging options.

Understanding and balancing syringe packaging needs

Most syringes are packed in a nylon-based forming film that is partnered with a porous web. The shape and size of the syringe will determine the mould design and packing requirements. The packaging film is moulded to form the shaped base of the pack, the deeper the mould and the sharper the shape of the mould, the thinner the film will become. It is these thinner spots around the top of the plunger, the shoulder of the syringe and where the needle is attached, that are the areas where risk of damage is greatest during the distribution process.

To control the risk of damage and potential loss of sterility, appropriate packaging films and secondary packaging systems need to be designed carefully. The right balance of packaging performance to ensure the integrity and sterility of the device, against the commercial viability of supply has to be achieved. While this challenge is a global issue for syringe producers, those selling devices in Europe deal with enhanced regulations and need to demonstrate that the device will remain sterile from production to point of use.

Multilayer coextrusion technology provides a solution for syringe manufactures

In order to help syringe producers to manage these challenges, Amcor has been recommending the use of the most modern structures of forming film. Products such as Amcor’s DS-X uses multilayer coextrusion technology to achieve the maximum transit resistance. Our team can advise on the thickness of film that is required for each syringe size, support the validation process from syringe packaging through to loading, sterilisation and finally the transit test to ensure the packaging systems remain fit for purpose.

To assess the relative performance of different films Amcor undertook transit testing, following the ISTA 2a transit simulation. Testing was performed by an external company, and the results demonstrated that the multilayer coextrusion technology provided a transit resistance 20% higher than standard nylon films, helping minimise pinhole risks. The use of higher performance film also allows the option to downgauge where appropriate and offers a fibre-free peel open pack when combined with uncoated medical papers. This technology delivers a robust packaging solution and increased confidence in patient safety, through the delivery of a sterile syringe.

Amcor offers responsive technical support to help customers identify appropriate packaging solutions as well as a fast turnaround in trial materials so that evaluation and validation process can begin as quickly as possible. Amcor has a proven record in the supply of optimised films for syringe packaging and our team is ready to support the unprecedented demand for syringe and needle packaging that is required to respond to the global COVID-19 vaccination programme.

References:

(1) Coronavirus: Commission unveils EU vaccines strategy, 17/06/2020
(2) EU / Public Health / Vaccine Strategy
(3) COVID-19 Vaccine Market Dashboard
An interactive tool for partners, manufacturers, and countries to follow the developments of the COVID-19 vaccine market with up-to-date information
(4) COVAX VACCINE ROLL-OUT: COUNTRY UPDATES
(5) EU Vaccines Strategy
(6) Safe COVID-19 vaccines for Europeans, European Union, 28/04/2021
(7) Global solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic
(8) COVID-19 pandemic brings global syringe shortage into sharp focus

Find out more about our full heathcare packaging range here.

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