Powdermed Looks to Improve the Needle and Syringe
Posted on November 15, 2005
Powdermed has developed a product, called PMED, which they say is easier to use than a needle and syringe. Here is a brief explanation from the product website.
The PMED device is a single-use, disposable device powered by high pressure helium. The cassette containing the powdered vaccine is loaded into the body of the device at the end of the manufacturing process. As the powdered vaccine is stable at ambient temperature and the cassette is sealed, PMED can be stored simply and cheaply.Using the device itself requires minimal training. The nozzle end of the device is placed against the skin at the delivery site where the vaccine is to be delivered and the actuation button is then pressed to administer the vaccine.
On actuation, the release of helium from a self-contained micro-cylinder ruptures the cassette membrane and propels the particles from their stationary state in the cassette through the nozzle and towards the skin surface at high velocity. This results in the deposition of the microscopic DNA coated gold particles in the epidermal cells of the skin.
This sounds like it could be a good device providing the gold particles are harmless even for people with a rare gold allergy. An interesting article on ThoughtCo that looks at the history of needle inventions including a couple newer ones like the Microneedle and Hypospray.