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Single Use/Safety lancet vs. others on market
Hi Doctor,
Can I assume that a lancet used at a NYS DOH STD clinic is a "safety"/single use lancet? I remember the attendant clicked on a button (lancet device looked greyish white and had a purple round top), Once the button clicked, the needle retracted. What I'm worried about is if this type of lancet will automatically retigger, or does it lock out? Can I assume that this type of lancet was one that automatically becomes inoperative after use? Or are there lancets on the market that resemble what I described that are designed to retrigger and be used again? I tried calling the clinic a few times, but the only usefull information I got was that they lancets were supplied by the Public Health Lab.
I really appreciate your response. I guess I need a little reassurance. Thank you!
Can I assume that a lancet used at a NYS DOH STD clinic is a "safety"/single use lancet? I remember the attendant clicked on a button (lancet device looked greyish white and had a purple round top), Once the button clicked, the needle retracted. What I'm worried about is if this type of lancet will automatically retigger, or does it lock out? Can I assume that this type of lancet was one that automatically becomes inoperative after use? Or are there lancets on the market that resemble what I described that are designed to retrigger and be used again? I tried calling the clinic a few times, but the only usefull information I got was that they lancets were supplied by the Public Health Lab.
I really appreciate your response. I guess I need a little reassurance. Thank you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. I agree with the brief responses you had on the community forum.
To my knowledge, all blood specimen lancets currently on the market are designed for single use, and I believe all are designed to prevent more than one use. But I have no personal experience with them and cannot say whether that safety feature might be defeated by a specific effort to do so. However, I also cannot imagine why anybody would ever do that. In any case, in the past 20+ years nobody in the world has caught HIV through the specimen collection process, either with lancets, syringes, or other blood-collection methods. I see no reason for any concern about it and suggest you not research it further, which likely would serve primarily to reinforce the anxiety you apparently have about it.
Regards-- HHH, MD
To my knowledge, all blood specimen lancets currently on the market are designed for single use, and I believe all are designed to prevent more than one use. But I have no personal experience with them and cannot say whether that safety feature might be defeated by a specific effort to do so. However, I also cannot imagine why anybody would ever do that. In any case, in the past 20+ years nobody in the world has caught HIV through the specimen collection process, either with lancets, syringes, or other blood-collection methods. I see no reason for any concern about it and suggest you not research it further, which likely would serve primarily to reinforce the anxiety you apparently have about it.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Thank you!
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