Routes, devices
& useful supplies.

Administration methods you may encounter.

Oral

Swallowed by mouth, such as a tablet or capsule. A product made for injection is not automatically suitable to swallow.

Sublingual / buccal

Placed under the tongue or against the inside of the cheek. These are distinct from swallowing.

Intranasal

Delivered into the nose using a formulation and device designed for that route.

Topical / transdermal

Applied to the body surface or delivered through the skin. A topical cosmetic is not automatically a transdermal medicine.

Subcutaneous

Injected beneath the skin. Syringes and some pen devices can serve this route when specified for the product.

Intramuscular

Injected into muscle. It differs from subcutaneous delivery in target tissue and technique.

Intravenous

Delivered into a vein, sometimes as an infusion. This requires appropriate professional care and is not a home alternative to a subcutaneous injection.

These terms describe routes, not evidence that a route is effective or approved for a particular compound. FDA: route-of-administration definitions ↗

Common delivery devices.

Manual syringes are filled from a vial; prefilled syringes arrive with medicine inside. Pens may be fixed-dose or adjustable, and disposable or cartridge-based. Nasal sprays and oral dosing devices have their own measuring systems. Choose the device specified for the medicine, rather than transferring instructions from a similar-looking product.

Illustrated article: syringe versus pen—pros and cons ↗ · NIDDK: examples of injection devices ↗

Accessories: what is useful, and when?

• Compatible sterile syringes and needles: only when the prescribed preparation requires them. Ask about the correct type and markings; a pen may require its own compatible disposable needle.
• Cleaning supplies: alcohol swabs and a clean preparation area, following the product’s instructions.
• Sharps container: plan for disposal before using any needle-based device, including pens with needles.
• Specified diluent and preparation supplies: only for a product that requires reconstitution. A prefilled device may require none.
• Labels or a written record: retain the exact product, opening/mixing date and applicable discard instructions. Do not cover the original label.
• Travel or storage case: optional organization; temperature protection must match the medicine’s requirements. A case alone does not verify temperature control.
• Organizer, stand or tray: optional convenience, not a sterile surface, sharps container or evidence of medical suitability. A home-printed accessory should not contact medicine or sterile needle parts.

Not everyone needs every item. FDA: device and needle compatibility ↗ · CDC: clean preparation and single-use supplies ↗ · FDA: sharps containers ↗