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Syringes are being replaced by needle pills
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
Painful injections with syringes may become a thing of the past, as specialists have recently proposed an alternative option – small pills equipped with needles. As noted by the employees of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, their invention is completely safe and painless. Scientists have already tested the effect of the pills on the digestive system of pigs.
A special tablet delivers the drug directly to the target, preventing premature decomposition.
The pill is made of acrylic, and the small (5 mm) needles are made of steel. The total size of such a pill is about two centimeters in length and 10 mm in width. Since there are no pain receptors in the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, a person, according to the developers, will not feel at all how the prickly pill will pass through the gastrointestinal tract.
Scientists tested insulin needle pills on specially selected animals. It took about seven days for the pill to pass through the entire gastrointestinal tract (specialists did not find any signs of damage to the pigs' mucous membranes).
As a result, the needles were able to inject insulin into the lining of the stomach and intestines, which affected sugar levels almost instantly.
At this stage, specialists plan to change the tablet so that during intestinal contractions it slowly, as it moves, releases the active drug. The specialists intend to make the needles themselves from special degradable materials so that they can penetrate the intestinal mucosa and slowly dissolve.
Experts continue to introduce technological innovations to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of patients. For example, researchers recently created a special application that will help people who have suffered a heart attack to avoid a possible relapse.
As the experiment showed, patients after a heart attack who used the application were 30% more likely to undergo rehabilitation. Such patients were 40% more likely to become participants in a rehabilitation program and almost twice as likely to complete it.
The rehabilitation period after a heart attack usually includes group classes and seminars that take place in a medical institution. Some patients do not attend or stop attending classes due to travel difficulties, lack of motivation, etc. A special application for smartphones will make the rehabilitation process easier for the owner. With the help of this application, patients will be able to receive the necessary recommendations on proper nutrition, training, and there is also the ability to set a reminder so as not to miss taking medication.
The app contains motivational texts and helps people complete the rehabilitation program and change their lifestyle.
With the help of the application, patients will be able to record their achievements, health status, etc., all information will be sent to a special website for doctors and medical staff.
As doctors noted, it is quite difficult to convince a patient to undergo a rehabilitation period after a heart attack. Therefore, it is extremely important to first inform the person about the need for this event, and then offer supporting materials. Now the application is planned to be distributed in several Brisbane clinics among patients who have suffered a heart attack. In the future, scientists want to adapt the application for patients with pulmonary diseases and diabetes.
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