The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced Thursday that it would push for the safer use of self-administered injections, such as insulin shots and rheumatoid arthritis drugs.

The ministry is preparing ways to promote safe use and eliminate misuse and abuse of shots as the launch and usage of products expand because of the convenience of self-administration.

It will form a patient panel to reflect the opinions of consumers, from planning to delivery of safe use information, develop patient education programs with doctors and pharmacists, and mandate the presentation of plans for risk management and improving packaging units.

Besides, the ministry is preparing to research domestic and foreign use of self-administered injections and the education of patients.

According to the guideline, self-administering patients should wash hands, disinfect the injection site, follow the product guideline, and pay attention to side effects such as redness of skin or pain. Also, the user should close the lid of the needle and discard it to prevent the needle from exposing after use.

The safety instructions for experts and patients by type of self-administered injections are on the websites of the ministry and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management.