U-500 Insulin - VA National Center for Patient Safety
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VA National Center for Patient Safety

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U-500 Insulin

A woman injects insulin into her arm 

The VA standardizes the prescribing and dispensing of U-500 insulin at VA facilities according to ISMP guidelines. The educational material we present here can be used to educate VA patients as to how U-500 insulin and associated needles will be dispensed to them. Caregivers are encouraged to have diabetic patients review these and familiarize themselves with the procedures.

Note this 2013 Institute for Safe Medication Practices*† (ISMP) Medication Safety Alert:

As U-500 insulin safety concerns mount, it’s time to rethink safe use of strengths above U-100*†

This 2013 article takes a human factors approach to usability testing of a U-500 insulin syringe: Usability Testing of a U-500 Insulin Syringe: A Human Factors Approach Reprinted by permission.

*By clicking on these links, you will leave the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site.

†VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked Web site.

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