Injections are not popular with either children or adults. For years, researchers have therefore been looking for a way to administer drugs in a gentler manner. Swiss scientists now developed a membrane that releases active ingredients under ultraviolet light. It could revolutionize how drugs and vaccines are being administered. In this interview with MEDICA.de, Dr. Luciano Boesel, Group Leader for “Medical Textiles“, Protection and Physiology at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), speaks about controlling drug administration and the potential use of the membrane in connection with adhesives. How did you and your team come up with the idea of administering active ingredients via a membrane? Dr. Luciano Boesel: We developed the membrane in cooperation with the Clinic of Neonatology of the University Hospital Zurich. The physicians at this facility initiated this project. Ultimately, the idea originated in the intensive care for newborn babies. In some cases, these newborns require caffeine to prevent respiratory arrest. This is typically done via tubes or by administering injections. Since these children are very sensitive, the injections cause additional stress. The idea to develop a gentler method of administration therefore originated with the Clinic. The development of an alternative...
Read more in the interview: http://www.medica-tradefair.com/Interview_active_ingredients_membrane_Boesel_02_2015