NFC tag technology is expected to be applied to medical devices, increasing convenience for both industry workers and patients.

NP Plasticel, a medical device development and manufacturing company, announced on the 3rd the launch of a connected pre-filled syringe that uses an NFC tag from STMicroelectronics (ST), a global semiconductor company.

Tags integrated into the syringe body allow manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and patients to access critical information related to the medication.

NP Plastivel overmolded the ultra-small NFC tag directly onto the syringe. While the syringe is being filled, the NFC tag stores relevant information, allowing patients, doctors, and nurses to verify the drug's legality, as well as check its manufacturing history, usage recommendations, other important information, and precautions.

NP Plastivel was able to overcome various challenges encountered during the development of these connected syringes with ST's technical support. In addition to developing a manufacturing process that embeds NFC tags in syringes and protects them from pharmaceuticals, ST also helped overcome several constraints related to the lifecycle of NFC tags and prefilled syringes. This included sterilizing syringes at temperatures exceeding 130°C using an autoclave without damaging the electronics.

“NFC tags can store product-specific information, even on web links or dedicated apps,” said Yvon Gourdou, ST EMEA’s Managing Director of Applications and Marketing. “The tags embedded in these connected syringes allow healthcare professionals to quickly access accurate information on their mobile phones by using an NFC reader to find information such as the correct dosage, special instructions, expiration date, storage conditions, and other important data.”

He added, “Patients can also easily set up notification messages by scanning the tag with their mobile phones.”

NP Plastivel announced that it will further develop connected medical devices based on ST's ST25TV NFC tag IC. "Once launched, this technology can be scaled to other medical products, providing similar connectivity value to equipment such as surgical devices, implant packages, pharmaceutical packages, and diagnostic devices," said Mathieu Bess, R&D Manager at NP Plastivel.

Meanwhile, ST, a leading semiconductor manufacturer with the technology to embed NFC tags in specialized products, develops and supplies NFC tag ICs with a broad portfolio covering numerous markets, including the medical and pharmaceutical markets.