What Are Sharps?
Sharps are medical devices with sharp points or edges that puncture or cut skin. Sharps aren’t just used in medical settings. People use them to manage their medical conditions at home, work, and when traveling.
A fine, slender, hollow piece of metal used to inject medication under the skin
A medical device featuring a needle to inject medication into or withdraw fluid from the body
Also called a “fingerstick,” a lancet has a short, two-edged blade used to obtain drops of blood for testing; lancets are commonly used by people with diabetes
Pre-filled syringes, including epinephrine pens, designed to be self-injected.
A tubing system with needle used to deliver drugs to the body.
A needle that connects to a tube used to transfer fluids in and out of the body; generally used for patients on home hemodialysis
Examples of conditions that require people to use sharps outside of a medical setting:
- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Hepatitis
- HIV/AIDS
- Infertility
- Migraines
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Osteoporosis
- Blood clotting disorders
- Psoriasis