Vaccine-Delivery Patch

A new vaccine-delivery patch based on hundreds of microscopic needles that dissolve into the skin could someday allow people without medical training to painlessly administer vaccines. The new patch could also help prevent unsafe reuse of hypodermic needles, particularly in parts of the world with poor medical infrastructure.

The patch's micron-scale needles carry vaccine with them as they dissolve into the skin. In a study conducted by researchers from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, the dissolving microneedle patch was demonstrated to vaccinate experimental mice against influenza at least as well as a traditional hypodermic needle.

In the future, these microneedle patches could allow self-vaccination during a pandemic and simplify large-scale immunization programs in developing nations. If mass-produced, they are expected to cost about the same as conventional needle-and-syringe techniques.

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