What actions is the Welsh Government taking to ensure morbidly obese patients with a high BMI who are unable to have their intramuscular depot injections into their muscle do not remain as hospital in-patients for longer than is necessary?
The successful administration of long-acting injectable medicines can be more challenging in people with a particularly high body mass index. Healthcare professionals administering these medicines should follow national guidelines on administration of oil-based depot and other long-acting intramuscular injections and any product specific instructions included in the manufacturer’s product information.
Some long-acting injectable medicines are supplied with specific needles as part of their marketing authorisation, and which will have been subject to rigorous licensing trials which included obese participants. In these cases, the manufacturer’s recommended needles should be used.
Treatment decisions including those regarding the appropriate selection of treatment, method of administration and assessment of effectiveness are matters for clinicians providing patients’ care.