It looks like MIT has taken a page from Star Trek and is working on creating a needle-less injection: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/05/30/mit-invents-star-trek-needleless-injections/?hpt=hp_t3
It certainly sounds like space technology, but damn it, Jim - I'm a diabetic, not a doctor :)
I don't think this is appropriate for insulin since it may not like the immense shear forces.
Man that thing looks scary. Wonder if people would run and hide, but to me it looks like a bolt of blue electricity is going to come down into you like the old sci-fi movies.
There have been needleless injectors around for years. The military employed them for injections for years. They have also been around for use with insulin however the cost is not small. If you google "needle free insulin injection" you will see links to some of the currently available devices. Back in the days when syringes were as big as knitting needles they were an interesting option but now that needles are so much smaller the decision is much different.
Intriguing applications for this device. Interesting about using powders that then act as liquids & being able to control the absorption rate. Thanks for posting.
I think if I could have a phaser like cover for my Humalog pen, I would be happy. It doesn't really matter to me if there are Star Trek nanites or phaser thingies. I just want to look cool and have people come over want to get an injection from my Star Trek tricorder insuljector. Now that would make a party really fun.
What ever happened to inhaled insulin? I guess it never took off or worked?
With short needles and the pen needles I am not sure I see any big advantage of this. If I use short needles I usually don't feel anything at all, so a mosquito bite would be worse IMO. I can only imagine the expense that would be incurred with this system, which frankly is the biggest motivator behind it. What about pumpers??
Oh jesus, they've been talking about this thing for nearly 30 years.
Man, this really is a great example of how technology and advances with diabetes are circular in the news and 'newer' diabetics get drawn in.
It absolutely isn't your fault and isn't meant to belittle you in any way, I swear, but this is why things get so stuck in a rut with diabetes advances.
People barking up the same old tree's with far fetched ideas that are eaten up by people who are understandably very very tired of sticking holes in themselves.
Seriously, I read basically this exact same article when I was 11, and it's really tough to hear of it when they get regurgitated up yet again in the same bs vague shock tactic journalism.
This one is up there with the nasal spray insulin.
Won't work. Won't happen. Causes massive reactions when used extensively.
The only true development in the whole time of me being a diabetic has been continuous glucose monitoring, and quite honestly this is because we get to pay through the nose for it, and that's what they want.
Expensive and continuous, disposable therapy that will have us emptying out our piggy banks for our entire lives.
So hard to not feel utterly jaded.
I know there is a company working on it - Mannkind (MNKD) but I think they never passed the FDA approvals process.
I remember having these needle-less injections in boot camp back in 1973 in the Navy. If not done correctly, they can cut the hell out of you. We lined up and went through getting these on both arms at the same time. There was always someone who flinched or the Corpsman goofed, and he'd wind up with blood dripping down his arm. They stung like hell, too. I much prefer needles, thank you!