
What Is a Vial Adapter?
Some injectable medications are dispensed with a vial adapter, which is a device that the user attaches to the top of the medication vial so that it’s easier to transfer medication from the vial to a syringe. The guide below will show you how to use a vial adapter.
Anatomy of a Syringe

How to Use a Vial Adapter
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Wash your hands well with soap and water, then dry them completely. Put on gloves if necessary.
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Remove the plastic cap from the medication vial and use an alcohol wipe to clean the rubber stopper.
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Remove the back part of the vial adapter package, making sure that the adapter stays in the front part.
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Using the front part of the package to handle the adapter, connect the adapter to the vial by pushing it down onto the top of the vial until the adapter snaps in place.
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Using a syringe without a needle attached, twist the syringe onto the top of the vial adapter.
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Turn the vial, the adapter and the syringe upside down and draw the liquid medication back into the syringe to the prescribed amount for one injection. Untwist the syringe from the vial.
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Twist a capped needle onto the syringe. Follow the injection technique described by your healthcare provider. You can also learn how to give an intramuscular injection, a subcutaneous injection or a penile injection on this website. Store the vial and attached adapter as indicated on the vial label or in the medication information supplied with it.
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Empower Pharmacy is a premier compounding pharmacy and outsourcing facility delivering innovative pharmaceutical solutions to patients and providers. We help local institutions thrive and serve patients across the country. We can ship nationwide and provide a 24-hour turnaround for our prescriptions as we are the nation’s largest compounding pharmacy with operations based in Houston, Texas.