Painless needle for diabetics launched

BANGALORE: The pain of pricking oneself twice a day is a reality for the growing tribe of diabetics in India. A painless needle launched in Bangalore on Thursday aims at reducing this anguish.
The insulin syringe, with which one can give oneself injections, has the thinnest needle in the world and is also short compared to ordinary syringe needles.
The company, Becton Dickinson India, a global leader in medical devices, had a few months ago launched auto disable (AD) syringes which prevent reuse or misuse.
The insulin syringe does not displace much muscle tissue, thus causing no pain. ``The look of the needle also helps the patient psychologically and physiologically,'''' says Ram Sharma, managing director, Becton Dickinson, which has also developed a web community for diabetics with a view to making the patient feel and live better.
The website — www.bd.com/diabetes — has information on handling one''s insulin syringe, managing diet or monitoring glucose every day for better diabetes care.
AD syringes come in the form of a pre-filled injection device and one which can be used with a separate vial. Why AD syringes?
•A WHO research revealed that 66 per cent of injections provided in India are unsafe.
•On an average, 40 injections per syringe and eight injections per needle are administered to the patients.
•More than 50 per cent of vaccine goes waste after immunisation.
•Syringe re-use is responsible for transmission of infectious diseases.
AD syringes are easier to use, quicker and preferred by health workers. They are highly effective in eliminating re-use of unsterile syringes between patients.
The biggest onus of promoting safe immunisation process rests with the government and the medical community. The Government of India recently constituted a health task force to study the extent and effect of unsafe injection practices in the country. The study is on and the results will probably make way for a legislation preventing unsafe practices, which does not exist so far, says Sharma.
In the West where safe injection practices are prevalent, research is on to find out newer ways of administering drugs. In five years, the new ways of administering an injection in the US will be the brush-on method, patch mode and inhalation.