A pharmaceutical company commissioned us to survey sickle cell patients to understand how people living with the condition handle their pain crises and hospital visits, and how they would feel about different ways to take or receive a new injectable medication. Specifically, the client wanted to know if any factors influence preference for auto-injector devices over intravenous (IV) infusions.
A total of 80 people from the US (69 sickle cell patients and 11 parents/caregivers) took the survey, with 74 of the participants recruited within the first 24 hours.
Survey participants told us they would generally prefer using an auto-injector over getting an IV infusion from a nurse, regardless of whether the IV infusion was at the hospital or at home. We also found that people who would prefer an auto-injector over an IV infusion are those who usually need more time for their trips to the hospital or to see their sickle cell doctor.