Researchers are developing laser technology to deliver vaccines through the skin without the need for needles, helping to alleviate the fear of injections for some individuals.
The Bubble Gun device promises to make vaccine administration quicker, easier, and safer.
The “Bubble Gun” device uses lasers to propel tiny droplets through the outer layer of skin, according to David Fernandez Rivas, a professor at the University of Twente and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The process occurs faster than a mosquito bite and is painless as it does not touch the nerve endings in the skin.
“In just one millisecond, the glass vial containing the liquid heats up when the laser is projected. Bubbles form in the liquid, propelling it at a speed of 100 km/h. This allows the vaccine to penetrate the skin without causing damage. We have not detected any wounds or injection marks,” Rivas explains.
Painless injection device Bubble Gun.
Rivas hopes that this discovery will not only increase the number of people vaccinated but also reduce the risk of needle-related infections and minimize medical waste. Successful trials on tissue samples have been conducted with funding of $1.73 million from the European Union. The research team is beginning human trials, with volunteers set to register in October.
A new startup will test and market the “Bubble Gun” technology. Rivas and his team will need 1 to 3 years to bring the device into widespread use, depending on the research progress and licensing issues.
Statistics show that 1 in 5 Austrians fear needles. According to Henk Schenk, a specialist in treating patients with needle phobia, this syndrome is much more common than we think. About 1 in every 1,000 individuals with a fear of injections requires multiple therapies to prepare for a shot.
