Amelia Deacon, Associate Medical Science & Commercial Value Liaison, Value & Access, B.Braun Medical Ltd
Picture a nurse racing between patients on a busy hospital ward. Amid constant interruptions, they attempt to prepare a critical IV antibiotic. Behind them, a phone rings. A colleague needs help. A patient's family member has a question. Meanwhile, multiple precise manipulations await – drawing up solutions, measuring doses, labelling syringes. Each distraction increases error risk {1,2}, yet the medicine must be prepared perfectly.
This scenario unfolds thousands of times daily across the NHS. The statistics are sobering: 237 million medication errors annually [3], with ~10.1% of IV administrations involving an error [4]. For healthcare professionals, this creates impossible tension between urgency and precision. For patients, it represents potential harm. For the system, it means wasted resources.
A perfect storm of challenges compounds the problem. A nursing shortage of 42,000 vacancies strains the workforce [5]. Complex medication preparation consumes the equivalent of 4,000 nursing full-time equivalents annually [6]. Environmental contamination with antibiotics endangers staff, with studies detecting eight different antibiotics on preparation surfaces [7,8]. Needlestick injuries have increased by 50% since 2008 [9], with NHS Resolution reporting 1,947 successful claims totalling £10.8 million over the past decade [10]. Meanwhile, with injectable medicines representing £7 billion in annual expenditure [11], studies show alarming wastage – up to 71% of some prepared medications discarded unused [12].
What if we could break this cycle?
B. Braun's DUPLEX® system offers a compelling alternative. This innovative dual-chamber IV bag keeps drug and diluent separate until activation [13], eliminating complex preparation steps [14]. A study demonstrated that DUPLEX® reduced preparation steps from 18 to 4 and preparation time by 81% compared to traditional methods (4:02 to 0:45 minutes) [14]. The system generated 81% less waste per dose (14.83g vs. 78.04g) and required 90% fewer products [14].
All 102 nurses in the study rated DUPLEX® as "much better" or "better" than traditional methods for preparation safety and ease of use [14]. The system has the potential to significantly reduce errors in real-world settings where distractions are common [15]—precisely where conventional preparation methods are most vulnerable to error. With IV therapy error rates dropping from 73% to just 17% with ready-to-use solutions, the safety implications are substantial [16].
The benefits extend beyond individual patients. By dramatically reducing preparation time [14], DUPLEX® could potentially release thousands of nursing hours back to direct patient care. Environmental contamination risks drop with fewer manipulation steps [14]. Public confidence in the system was high, with 92.3% of study participants (48/52) expressing confidence in home use [14], creating opportunities to improve access to outpatient therapy, potentially freeing up hospital beds.
While acquisition costs exceed traditional methods, economic analysis demonstrates substantial downstream savings. Research shows shifting 50% of IV medication use to ready-to-use products could yield potential annual savings of €4.9 million in a single hospital [17]. When extrapolated to England's healthcare system, potential annual savings could reach £368.7 million through released nursing time, reduced errors, and decreased waste.
By transforming medication delivery, ready-to-use medicines offer an opportunity to simultaneously improve patient safety, enhance staff wellbeing, and address system sustainability. The solution is available today – the next step is turning evidence into action.