Assessment of knowledge and opinion towards microneedles technology among jordanian pharmacists

Background : Microneedles are an innovative, patient-friendly, minimally invasive, and self-administered drug delivery system that has garnered significant attention. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of Jordanian pharmacists toward microneedles and to identify associated predictors. During January and February 2023, a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was conducted in Jordan. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of increased awareness of microneedles as a medication delivery system. Results : A total of 474 pharmacists participated in the study, with 67.9% reporting familiarity with transdermal drug delivery. The most commonly cited source of information about microneedles was university education (85.1%). Nearly half (47.5%) of the pharmacists advised washing the application area with water or sterilizing it with an alcohol swab. The top three advantages of microneedles over other transdermal delivery systems were faster healing at the injection site (43.7%), ease of administration (41.1%), and painless delivery of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (40.7%). The pharmacists demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge about microneedles, with a mean knowledge score of 4.3 (SD 1.6) out of 7. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that pharmacists with 5–10 years of experience were more likely to be knowledgeable about microneedles as a drug delivery system compared to others (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion : Pharmacists showed a solid understanding of microneedle technology, yet certain knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding the advantages, design, and applications of microneedles. Increased educational efforts are recommended to bridge these gaps and enhance pharmacists’ competence in this area. Strengths and limitations of this study : This study investigated the level of knowledge and awareness among 474 pharmacists in Jordan, who are employed across diverse sectors within the field of pharmacy. The existing body of academic literature concerning pharmacists’ familiarity and understanding of microneedle technology is notably limited. The study was carried out using an online questionnaire, which has an unpredictable response rate.