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Despite the painful jab, a vaccination by needle and syringe injection is still a powerful weapon in fighting deadly infectious-disease outbreaks. This method has been in use for more than a century, but a kinder, gentler application is in the offing. Scientists have invented a new microneedle patch, which promises a pain-free vaccination.
The patch is about one-tenth of the size of a 10-cent coin, but contains 3,000 microneedles which can directly deliver the vaccine to under the skin. The World Health Organization expects the patch to be on the market between 2020 and 2025.
The "Painless Vaccination" exhibition at the Hong Kong Science Museum gives visitors a close-up view of this new medical technology, developed by Assistant Professor of the Department of Physics and Materials Science of City University of Hong Kong, Dr Chen Xianfeng, and his research team.
News.gov.hk introduces Dr Chen and his technology in a story that appears today (December 2) in both text and video format.
Ends/Sunday, December 2, 2012
Issued at HKT 09:36
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