The hypodermic needle, which has not changed much since its invention in 1853, is undergoing several complete design makeovers to make injections less painful, according to a PopSci report.
- Micro-scale materials are being used to make hypodermic needles shorter and thinner so that shots are less painful.
- The Fluzone Intradermal microinjector, recently approved by the FDA, releases flu vaccine directly into the skin, avoiding penetration of the muscles, which causes an ache afterwards.
- Engineers in Japan have created a multipart needle that mimics a mosquito's relatively painless bite by using three individually motorized 0.04-inch-long needles.
- A dissolving microneedle patch developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University could painlessly deliver drugs straight into the skin.
Related Articles on Hypodermic Needles:
Rates of Sharps Injuries Fall Among Massachusetts Healthcare Workers
6 Ways to Decrease Sharps Injuries and Needle Sticks in the OR
Sample Baseline Assessment Worksheet for Sharps Injury Prevention Program