A dissolving microneedle patch has been developed for vaccinations, which could signal the end to the use of sharp needles.

A dissolving microneedle patch has been developed for vaccinations, which could signal the end to the use of sharp needles and the need for vaccines to be administered by medically-trained professionals, according to the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Advantages of the new patch include: the simplification of large-scale immunisation programmes in developing nations; the elimination of the re-use of hypodermic needles, which can contribute to the spread of diseases such as HIV; and the ability to self-administer the vaccine.

It has also been proved to be more effective than the current needle-based vaccination. Richard Compans, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory University School of Medicine, explained: “The skin is a particularly attractive site for immunisation because it contains an abundance of the types of cells that are important in generating immune responses to vaccines.”

The patch is administered by being pressed into the skin. The microneedles then quickly dissolve in bodily fluids, leaving only the water-soluble backing, which can then be simply discarded.

Sean Sullivan, lead author of the study from Georgia Tech, said: “We envision people getting the patch in the mail or at a pharmacy and then self administering it at home. Because the microneedles on the patch dissolve away into the skin, there would be no dangerous sharp needles left over.”

Further clinical trials are needed of the patch, however it is hoped that the development could be used for vaccinations other than the flu – the only disease looked at by this study. The cost of the patch is expected to be around the same as for a conventional needle, but the waste disposal and administration costs are expected to bring the overall price down.