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" A new hi-tech skin patch could soon be used instead of injections to deliver vaccines, scientists have suggested. The patches have already been tested on mice and were found to deliver flu vaccine effectively. They consist of 100 &amp;#039;microneedles&amp;#039;, each measuring just over half a millimetre, which deliver the vaccine. The tiny needles then dissolve away and the backing is discarded. According to scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, US, the patches are easy to use and can be administered by the patient without any need for medical training. Lead researcher Professor Mark Prausnitz, whose findings are published in the journal Nature Medicine, commented: &amp;#039;We have shown that a dissolving microneedle patch can vaccinate against influenza at least as well, and probably better than, a traditional hypodermic needle.&amp;#039; Co-researcher Dr Sean Sullivan added: &amp;#039;We envision people getting the patch in the mail or at a pharmacy and then self-administering it at home.&amp;#039; The advance could be used to deliver vaccines such as the flu jab, which is offered to people in at-risk groups, including over-65s, those with serious medical conditions and poultry workers. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a19807/hi-tech-skin-patch-may-replace-injectable-vaccines/>