Why BD Is a Leading Choice for Needles and Syringes

When healthcare professionals think of needles and syringes, one manufacturer is likely to be familiar: BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company).

BD has been manufacturing medical devices for more than a century and today offers one of the industry's most extensive selections of hypodermic needles, syringes and safety injection products.

In fact, BD identifies its needle and syringe portfolio as the #1-selling needle and syringe portfolio in the United States.

From a standard BD PrecisionGlide™ hypodermic needle to SafetyGlide™ safety needles, Eclipse™ needles, blunt fill needles, filter needles and Luer-Lok™ syringes, BD offers products for a wide variety of medication preparation and administration requirements.

Here are some of the reasons BD needles and syringes have become a leading choice for hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies and other healthcare facilities.

More Than a Century of Needle and Syringe Manufacturing

BD's history with needles and syringes dates back to the company's earliest years.

BD opened its first syringe and needle factory in the United States in 1906. The company acquired the Yale™ Luer-Lok™ system in 1925, introduced the Plastipak™ syringe in 1961 and began mass production of syringes and needles in 1962.

That long history has helped establish BD as one of the most recognizable manufacturers of injection products in healthcare.

BD PrecisionGlide Hypodermic Needles

BD PrecisionGlide™ needles are among BD's conventional hypodermic needle options.

PrecisionGlide needle technology incorporates a thin-wall design, tri-bevel tip and proprietary lubricant designed to provide ease of penetration.

BD PrecisionGlide needles are available in numerous combinations of:

• Needle gauges

• Needle lengths

• Hub configurations

• Packaging quantities

The wide range allows healthcare facilities to select needles appropriate for different clinical applications.

Who Buys BD PrecisionGlide Needles?

Common buyers include:

• Hospitals

• Physician offices

• Medical clinics

• Ambulatory surgery centers

• Pharmacies

• Veterinary practices

• Research and laboratory facilities

• Healthcare purchasing departments

When purchasing BD needles, buyers should verify both the gauge and needle length, as well as the BD manufacturer catalog number.

BD SafetyGlide Safety Needles

Healthcare worker safety is another major part of the BD needle portfolio.

BD SafetyGlide™ needles incorporate a shielding mechanism designed to help protect against needlestick injuries following use.

SafetyGlide needles feature BD's Activation-Assist™ Technology and incorporate PrecisionGlide needle technology.

Because the needle is detachable and uses a standard luer connection, SafetyGlide needles can be paired with compatible conventional luer syringes.

Who Buys BD SafetyGlide Needles?

Safety needles are particularly relevant for:

• Hospitals

• Physician practices

• Outpatient clinics

• Vaccination clinics

• Public health departments

• Occupational health programs

• Pharmacies

• Surgery centers

Facilities establishing or standardizing a safety-needle program may use BD SafetyGlide products as part of their sharps-injury prevention strategy.

BD Eclipse Safety Needles

BD Eclipse™ needles provide another safety-engineered option within the BD injection portfolio.

Eclipse needles incorporate a protective safety shield that is activated following use to help reduce exposure to the contaminated needle.

Different gauges and lengths are available for varying injection requirements.

BD Eclipse products may be appropriate for healthcare facilities looking for a straightforward safety-engineered alternative to conventional hypodermic needles.

BD Blunt Fill Needles

Not every needle is intended for patient injection.

BD Blunt Fill Needles are designed specifically for medication preparation and vial access.

Their blunt design helps reduce the risk of needlestick injuries during medication preparation compared with using a conventional 18-gauge hypodermic needle.

BD offers blunt fill needles in different configurations, including 18-gauge thin-wall designs.

Who Uses Blunt Fill Needles?

These products are especially relevant for:

• Hospital pharmacies

• Compounding areas

• Medication preparation rooms

• Nursing departments

• Ambulatory surgery centers

• Healthcare facilities preparing injectable medications

BD Blunt Filter Needles

When medication is drawn from a glass ampoule, a filter needle may be required according to applicable procedures and standards.

BD Blunt Filter Needles incorporate a 5-micron filter membrane designed to help prevent large particles from being drawn into the syringe during medication preparation from ampoules.

This makes blunt filter needles a specialized but important part of a facility's medication preparation supplies.

Potential buyers include:

• Hospital pharmacies

• Anesthesia departments

• Operating rooms

• Ambulatory surgery centers

• Infusion facilities

• Medication preparation departments

BD Syringes

BD's product portfolio extends well beyond needles.

BD syringes are available in numerous capacities and configurations for medication preparation and administration.

Depending on the product, options may include:

• Luer-Lok™ tip syringes

• Slip-tip syringes

• Syringe and needle combinations

• Tuberculin syringes

• Allergy syringes

• Oral and enteral syringes

• Catheter-tip syringes

• Larger-volume syringes

BD also offers preassembled syringe-and-needle combinations for facilities that prefer a needle and syringe supplied together in sterile packaging.

Why Choose a BD Luer-Lok Syringe?

The Luer-Lok™ connection is one of the most recognizable syringe connection designs in healthcare.

Rather than simply pushing a compatible needle onto the syringe tip, the connection allows compatible components to be securely attached through the luer-locking mechanism.

BD Luer-Lok syringes are available in numerous sizes and configurations, making them useful across many healthcare environments.

BD Syringes With Needles

For facilities that don't want to purchase syringes and needles separately, BD offers syringe-and-needle combinations.

These products combine a syringe with an attached or packaged needle in a sterile configuration.

When ordering, healthcare buyers should verify:

• Syringe capacity

• Needle gauge

• Needle length

• Tip configuration

• Safety vs. conventional design

• Manufacturer catalog number

The exact combination matters because two BD syringe products may look similar while containing different needle sizes or features.

One Manufacturer, Many Injection Products

One of the major advantages of the BD portfolio for healthcare purchasing departments is the breadth of products available from a single manufacturer.

A facility may be able to source conventional needles, safety needles, syringes, blunt fill needles, filter needles and other injection products within the BD family.

This can be particularly useful for healthcare organizations attempting to standardize products across multiple departments.

Understanding BD Needle Gauge and Length

Selecting a needle involves more than choosing a brand.

Two of the most important specifications are gauge and length.

Needle gauge refers to the diameter of the needle. With standard needle gauge sizing, a higher gauge number represents a smaller needle diameter.

Needle length is a separate measurement and should be selected according to the medication, route of administration, patient requirements and applicable clinical procedure.

For example, BD may manufacture the same needle family in multiple combinations of gauge and length.

Healthcare professionals should therefore select needles according to applicable clinical requirements rather than choosing a product based solely on gauge, length or brand.

Why Are BD Needles and Syringes So Widely Used?

There isn't one single reason.

BD combines a long history of needle and syringe manufacturing with an extensive selection of conventional and safety-engineered products.

Some factors healthcare buyers may consider include:

Product selection: BD offers a broad range of gauges, lengths, syringe capacities and specialized configurations.

Safety options: Products such as SafetyGlide, Eclipse and blunt fill needles provide alternatives to conventional sharps for applicable procedures.

Recognizable product families: PrecisionGlide, SafetyGlide, Eclipse and Luer-Lok are established product lines familiar to many healthcare professionals.

Standardization: A broad portfolio can allow healthcare organizations to source multiple needle and syringe configurations from the same manufacturer.

Availability of specialized products: BD's portfolio extends from everyday hypodermic needles and syringes to medication preparation, filter and safety-engineered products.

These factors help explain why BD maintains a leading position in the U.S. needle and syringe market.

Who Buys BD Needles and Syringes?

BD needles and syringes are purchased across nearly every part of healthcare.

Common buyers include:

• Hospitals and health systems

• Ambulatory surgery centers

• Physician offices

• Medical clinics

• Pharmacies

• Infusion centers

• Public health departments

• Long-term care facilities

• Home healthcare organizations

• Veterinary practices

• Research facilities

• Medical schools and training programs

• Government healthcare facilities

Within larger organizations, purchasing may be handled by procurement departments, materials managers, pharmacy buyers, OR managers or supply-chain teams.

How to Find the Correct BD Needle or Syringe

With so many configurations available, searching by the BD manufacturer catalog number is often the easiest way to reorder an existing product.

If you don't know the catalog number, identify as much of the following information as possible:

• Product family

• Syringe size

• Needle gauge

• Needle length

• Luer-Lok or slip-tip connection

• Safety or conventional needle

• Sterile packaging configuration

• Package quantity

This information can help narrow the available BD products considerably.

Shop BD Needles & Syringes at Lexicon Medical Supply

Lexicon Medical Supply carries a wide selection of BD needles, syringes and injection supplies for healthcare facilities and medical professionals.

Our selection includes BD PrecisionGlide hypodermic needles, safety needles, blunt fill and filter needles, Luer-Lok syringes, syringe-and-needle combinations and other BD injection products.

Healthcare facilities can search by BD manufacturer part number, needle gauge, needle length or syringe size to locate the products they use.

For hospitals, medical offices and other organizations purchasing in volume, contact Lexicon Medical Supply for product availability and purchasing assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is BD the same as Becton Dickinson?

Yes. BD is the commonly used name for Becton, Dickinson and Company, a global medical technology company and manufacturer of needles, syringes and many other healthcare products.

What is a BD PrecisionGlide needle?

BD PrecisionGlide is a family of conventional hypodermic needles incorporating BD needle technology designed to provide ease of penetration. PrecisionGlide needles are available in multiple gauges and lengths.

What is the difference between BD SafetyGlide and PrecisionGlide?

PrecisionGlide is BD's conventional hypodermic needle technology. SafetyGlide incorporates a safety shielding mechanism and PrecisionGlide needle technology to provide a safety-engineered injection option.

What is a BD blunt fill needle used for?

BD Blunt Fill Needles are designed for medication preparation and vial access. They provide an alternative to using a conventional sharp hypodermic needle during applicable medication preparation procedures.

What is a BD filter needle used for?

BD Blunt Filter Needles contain a 5-micron filter designed to help prevent large particles from being drawn into the syringe when preparing medication from glass ampoules.

What does Luer-Lok mean on a BD syringe?

Luer-Lok refers to a locking connection used to securely attach compatible needles and other components to the syringe.

How do I find a specific BD needle?

If you already use a particular BD needle, search using its BD catalog number. Otherwise, identify the product family, gauge, needle length, connection and whether you require a conventional or safety needle.

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Clinical Information Disclaimer: This article is intended for general product education and purchasing information. Needle and syringe selection, medication preparation and administration should be performed by appropriately trained healthcare professionals according to applicable clinical protocols, facility policies and the manufacturer's current instructions for use.