Your Next Flu Shot Could Be Administered By Mail

New developments in the pharmaceutical industry reveal that a dissolving microneedle patch may not be far off, which could prove to be a more efficient vaccination against influenza as opposed to traditional needles. In addition, this new patch will allow people without medical training to easily and safely administer the vaccine.

“We envision people getting the patch in the mail or at a pharmacy and then self-administering it at home,” explained Sean Sullivan, lead author of the study, according to a news release. “Because the microneedles on the patch dissolve away onto the skin, there would be no dangerous sharp needles left over.”

This microscopic needle patch consists of a polymer material; a molecular structure that is commonly used in plastics. The term refers to a large class of natural and synthetic materials with a wide variety of properties suggesting that it can be used safely in the body.

“The needles dissolve quickly in body fluids when the patch is applied to the skin and all that is left behind is the water-soluble backing, which can be discarded.” The cost of producing these patches is expected to be comparable to conventional needles; however this new method of self-administering vaccines will definitely save in health care costs by relieving duties from medical staff.

Sequentially, doctors and nurses will be more able to attend to other medical emergencies and patients requiring additional care. Certainly, there will be some costs involved in promoting the product and educating the public regarding hygiene and proper use; however in due time the savings should exceed any associated costs. Of course, this is assuming the product will be easy to administer with very few emergency room visits as a result of improper use.

In a study involving mice published in Nature Medicine, the researchers from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology claim to demonstrate that an influenza vaccine administered by the patch is just as effective as a vaccine delivered via a traditional hypodermic needle. In fact, it may even be more effective. When the researchers exposed mice to the influenza virus 3 months after vaccination, they noted a faster immune response in mice that had been vaccinated using the microneedle patch.

Further research is needed so that pharmaceutical companies can guarantee that this type of vaccine will be safe for humans. Furthermore, researchers should work toward uncovering an explanation as to why this method appears to be more effective than traditional needles.

Microneedles Boost Vaccine Efficacy

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