Method of packaging analyte sensors

A system for receiving and securing a product, the system comprising:

• at least one product, each product of the at least one product comprising:
• an on-skin assembly comprising an adhesive patch configured to adhere to a host's skin, the adhesive patch having a bottom side,
• an analyte sensor operably connected to the on-skin assembly,
• a needle, and
• a mechanism for automatically inserting the needle and the analyte sensor into the host's skin and retracting the needle from the host's skin;
• at least one first container having an interior chamber, the at least one first container receiving and securing the at least one product within the interior chamber in a fixed position, wherein the at least one first container is configured to be impermeable to microorganisms and includes a layer permeable to sterilant gas to allow the sterilant gas to enter into the interior chamber;
• and
• a second container configured to receive the at least one first container, and
• wherein the analyte sensor, the bottom side of the adhesive patch, and the needle of each product are sterilized and are exposed to an interior environment of the interior chamber for contact with the sterilant gas for permeating through the layer into the interior chamber to thereby sterilize the analyte sensor, the bottom side of the adhesive patch, and the needle, and
• wherein the bottom side of the adhesive patch is spaced apart from all other objects within the at least one first container to avoid contact between the bottom side of the adhesive patch and the other objects.