Needle - free Vaccines
Nanoparticles are being developed to deliver vaccines through the lungs and nose without the need for syringes – thus reducing the risk of infection and needle-stick injury.
The use of needles to deliver vaccines is associated with a risk of infection (including HIV and hepatitis B & C) and problems regarding waste disposal. Nanoparticles are being investigated in the quest to overcome these issues and enable simple and safe needle-free vaccine delivery.
A number of influenza vaccines has been developed and launched, to varying success, but there remains a significant unmet need to develop ways of delivering other vaccines to the body in a cost-effective and efficacious way.
The Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative is a collection of NGOs that have made needle-free vaccines one of their grand challenges. In June 2005 the GCGH granted two nanoparticle grants
A $6.3m grant went to James Baker at the University of Michigan’s Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences (MNIBS) to develop its technology, NanoStat – a nanoparticle emulsion for delivering vaccines through the nasal mucous membranes.
A $7.6m grant went to David Edwards, HarvardUniversity’s Gordon McKay Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences for the development of nanoparticle aerosols that could deliver vaccines by inhalation, particularly TB.
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SUPRIYA VAVILAPALLI
Thu, 11/12/2009 - 14:15
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That's a very good idea
That's a very good idea because mostly children apart from we face many problem with the use of needles to deliver such vaccines......is this a liquid dosage form sir?if so what about the chances of wastage of drug through external application?
Supriya vavilapalli
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Fri, 11/13/2009 - 03:40
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Refer the link
Dear supriya,
Refer the reference link for the answer.
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Shiv
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SUPRIYA VAVILAPALLI
Thu, 11/12/2009 - 14:40
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thats a great idea ....but if
thats a great idea ....but if these are given as liquid dosage forms again the wastage of drug through external application is ,more isn't it?
Supriya vavilapalli
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Fri, 11/13/2009 - 03:34
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Wastage of Drug
Dear Supriya,
As the drug is supplied in nanoform so the quantity used is very less, so no question of wastage & moreover delivering that to target site also minimise that.
For further refer Erin L. Giudice, James D. Campbell, "Needle-free vaccine delivery", Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 58 (2006) 68– 89
Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T3R-4JJG9WH-1...
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Shiv
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zarrinfaria
Thu, 11/12/2009 - 14:48
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An innovative concept....but
An innovative concept....but how are these nanoparticles administered....what is the device used...are they implanted?
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Faria Zarrin
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majumdarshiv
Fri, 11/13/2009 - 03:31
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Answer yto your query
Dear Faria Zarrin,
Answet to your query is:
Needle-free vaccinations are vaccinations which are given without the use of a needle. There are a number of delivery options for needle-free vaccinations, ranging from nasal sprays to patches worn on the skin. The development of such vaccinations is a matter of intense interest to medical professionals, who would greatly like to find a way to safely and painlessly deliver vaccines.
There are a number of reasons why the development of needle-free vaccinations is so important. The obvious reason is that such vaccinations would be less painful, making them more widely acceptable. By making vaccines more acceptable, greater vaccination compliance could be reached, thus protecting a larger sector of the population. Patients would also appreciate the reduced discomfort of needle-free vaccinations.
In the developing world, needle-free vaccinations would be a huge boon. The use of such vaccinations would eliminate the risk of needle re-use, a common problem in underfunded health problems, and it could cut down on vaccination costs significantly by eliminating the need for needles. Needle-free vaccinations would also be very easy to deliver, encouraging a wider coverage of the population.
One way to deliver needle-free vaccinations is through mucosal surfaces like the inside of the nose, mouth, and eyes. Vaccines could be smeared directly onto the surface for absorption, or they could be delivered in the form of an aerosol spray. Oral vaccines can be delivered in droplet form directly onto the tongue, as has been done historically with the oral vaccine for polio.
Drug companies have also developed so-called “jet injectors,” which force a liquid vaccine through the pores of the body. Such injectors do not require a needle, although they could be momentarily distressing, as a jet injector basically punches the skin with a concentrated spray of liquid. Some studies have shown that vaccines could even be delivered by simply smearing the vaccine on the skin and allowing the body to absorb it, or by applying vaccine patches.
As of 2008, needle-free vaccinations are not widely available, but there is a growing interest in developing the technology to make vaccines more readily available and cost-effective. It is certainly worth asking your doctor about needle-free vaccinations if the use of needles is a concern for you.
If you are receiving vaccines because you are at elevated risk from a disease, it is a good idea to have a blood test after receiving the vaccine to make sure that the vaccine has taken effect. Such a test can usually be administered within a few months of taking the vaccine, and it will check for antibodies to confirm that the vaccine has taken.
Reference: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-needle-free-vaccinations.htm
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sudha
Mon, 11/30/2009 - 16:06
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hello sir
hello sir,
Are these needle free vaccines are in use now?
apart from convenience of administration are there any other advantages for these?
sudha
Regards,
Sudha.T