Accessible injectables
Drug Store News recently caught up with Brandon Faber, Director of Sales at Allison Medical, to learn more about the company’s SureComfort brand of diabetes supplies, and why patient care is at the heart of Allison Medical.
Drug Store News: Can you tell us a little about Allison Medical?
Brandon Faber: Allison Medical is a longstanding business based in Littleton, Colo., with over 30 years of expertise in diabetes supplies. Our main pharmacy products include Insulin Syringes and Pen Needles under the SureComfort brand name. Our commitment lies in providing high-quality products at competitive prices, ensuring accessibility and affordability for our customers. SureComfort is available in retail pharmacies across the United States, including Puerto Rico and Canada.
DSN: What’s new at Allison Medical?
BF: We have just completed a packaging refresh and will be rolling that out in the next month or so. We are very excited about the fresh, bold, new look of SureComfort Insulin Syringes,
Pen Needles and all ancillary products.
DSN: In a very competitive diabetes space, how has Allison Medical been able to show continuous growth each year for the past five years?
BF: Our SureComfort brand of Insulin Syringes and Pen Needles are a staple among diabetes patients who inject regularly. First and foremost, we focus on patient care and that has been very beneficial. We strive to create a true WIN-WIN-WIN benefiting end-users, retailers and Allison Medical in our everyday business and we have been very successful in doing just that.
Secondly, our sales team has a tremendous amount of industry experience which our retail and wholesale partners can rely on. In many cases, our sales team is used as an “industry guide.” In other words, when a retailer or wholesaler has a question, they call us first. In addition to that, we have great relationships with our customers and have a very strong customer service team that works hand in hand with our sales team to ensure our customers are receiving the best customer experience possible. We ship on time and we ship complete.
DSN: You mention patient care. Regarding diabetes, please explain why patient care is your No. 1 priority.
BF: We take the quality of our products very seriously. Our SureComfort Insulin Syringes and Pen Needles consistently exceed industry standards set by Six Sigma, emphasizing our dedication to ensuring the well-being of those relying on our diabetes supplies.
DSN: Retail chain and independent pharmacies have had some challenges in staying profitable over the past few years. Why do the pharmacies continue to recommend and dispense SureComfort Insulin Syringes and Pen Needles?
BF: Yes, pharmacies have had their challenges, so when a pharmacy can obtain substantially greater profits by dispensing SureComfort Insulin Syringes and Pen Needles to their customers vs. national brands, especially without having to go through a lengthy rebate process, it makes a lot of sense for them to offer SureComfort. The pharmacies see their profits immediately on every box of SureComfort they dispense.
DSN: In addition to the SureComfort brand that is sold at retail, does Allison Medical have any other product lines?
BF: Yes, we have CarePoint Vet brand, which is solely focused on Animal Health. Believe it or not, there are a lot of small animals that require daily injections. CarePoint Vet helps address the injection needs of vet clinics. We also have CarePoint Precision, our general or conventional syringe brand. These products are tailored for a medical and/or clinical setting. Lastly, we have CarePoint Safety. These products are also used in medical, clinical, acute, LTC and pharmacy settings where a safety syringe is required.
DSN: The FDA recently released a safety communication regarding syringes manufactured in China. Does this affect SureComfort insulin syringes?
BF: No, SureComfort brand Insulin Syringes and Pen Needles are manufactured in an MDSAP-certified facility in South Korea. MDSAP is the newest and most stringent quality program for medical devices. Achieving this quality standard provides independent verification of Allison Medical’s commitment to providing exceptionally high-quality Insulin Syringes and Pen Needles.
