Often dreaded by people, especially children, injections are one of the most common devices used for administering drugs. But what if you were told that you no longer need to fear needles? All thanks to Needle-Free Injection Technology (NFIT), being touted as an advanced technique that helps deliver an intended drug through the skin without the actual use of a hypodermic needle. Stressing that NFIT has shown promising results in mass immunisation and vaccination programs, Dr Chetan Goel, head of emergency, Ivy Hospital, Mohali said that such systems are virtually painless as they avoid the use of conventional needles. So, how do they work? NFIT, also called needle-free jet injectors, harnesses the energy that is strong enough to propel a premeasured dose of a particular drug formulation, loaded in specific unique “cassettes” which are injected into the body, said Dr Goel. Simply put, this technique uses a "modified" drug delivery system. "In the conventional method, we prick and then inject medications. Here, without the needle, medics inject the drug into the skin or below the skin where it just penetrates. Since the technology is different, high-pressure technologies are used to drive the medicine into the body," said Dr Bhaskar Shenoy, consultant - Paediatrics, Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road, Bangalore. To explain lucidly, needle-free injection uses a jet of liquid instead of a syringe and works through various mechanisms using any of the forces like shock waves, pressure by gas, electrophoresis, or Lorentz. "This propels the drug through the skin, virtually nullifying the use of a hypodermic needle, Dr Goel said. Are there different kinds of needleless injections? There are several types of needleless injections, explained Dr Shenoy 1. Depending on the mechanism of drug delivery, it is classified as * Nano particle *Sandpaper assisted delivery *Iontophoresis enabled microneedles 2. Other classification, depending on formulations *Powder injectors wherein a premeasured amount of powdered medication is delivered into the tissues through compressed gas *Liquid injectors also works on similar principles *Depot injectors - The drug is delivered into the muscles, creates a store of drugs and is released constantly over a specified period. Scope "As it bypasses the usage of needles, the technology reduces the chances of stick injuries, cross-contamination, and also avoids other complications that arise due to the multiple use of single needles," said Dr Sandeep Patil, chief intensivist, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, adding that the growing incidences of chronic diseases has resulted in a significant demand for large-molecule drugs, which are given through injectables. "Needle-free injections are efficient to administer intra-muscular, intra-dermal, and subcutaneous injections," Dr Patil told indianexpress.com. He further shared that these are also suitable to deliver drugs to some of the most sensitive body parts, like the cornea. "This technology is capable of achieving the same bioequivalence that has been achieved with traditional needles. This technology system delivers a wide spectrum of medicinal formulations into the body, without causing unnecessary pain to the patients. NFIT does not require any expert supervision in handling, and is very easy to use, store and dispose. This enhances injectable performance, tackles the issues related to needle phobia, and results in better user satisfaction," Dr Patil shared. Dr Shenoy said that the dose and depth are precise in the new needle-less technology. Additional benefits include very fast injection compared with conventional needles and no needle disposal issues, read a journals.innovareacademics.in report. Dr Patil agreed and added that the use of jet injectors has witnessed a remarkable rise through the years. "The Covid-19 pandemic has created a positive impact on the needle-free injection system market. The rising market of needless injections proves to be a boon for humanity and eradicates trypanophobia (fear of medical procedures that involves needles). Is it viable in India? When it comes to the pain and ease of administration, experts suggest that it is beneficial. However, just like a coin has two sides, needle-free injections have certain clinical concerns. "The high-pressure delivery of drugs can damage fragile molecules beneath the skin layer, especially in the administration of monoclonal antibodies. Also, the institution or doctors might have to deal with higher infrastructure (exhaustible gas systems are required) and maintenance costs," Dr Patil remarked. Admitting that at present, the demand and market are not that huge, Dr Shenoy said that there is "a greater demand for the adoption of advanced drug delivery technology". "The increasing number of chronic disorders and increased demand for self-administration of medications will ease the burden on the healthcare system. There is definitely a greater scope in the coming years," said Dr Shenoy. 📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don't miss out on the latest updates!
