New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) The world's smallest pen needle insulin injection for diabetics promising relief from pain was launched here Wednesday, said a statement from its manufacturer Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD).

"The BD nano pen needle is proven to be as effective as the longer needles in patients of all body types and proven to offer a less painful injection experience for people with diabetes who inject insulin. This is the world's first four mm long pen needle," said Diwakar Mittal, business manager, BD Medical-Diabetes Care, India.

The needle is four mm in length and of 32 gauge thickness making it the shortest and the thinnest in the market.

Currently, insulin injection needles are available in variable sizes of which the five mm long needles are the most common among diabetics.

"We are confident that this tiny needle can have a big impact by easing diabetes patients' transition and ongoing adherence to injectable drug therapy regimens," Mittal added.

"The pen needle provides equivalent glucose control as compared to longer insulin pen needles. It effectively delivers an insulin dose to the layer of fat below the skin which is the recommended site for insulin injections," the statement said.