Microneedle patches: usability and acceptability for self-vaccination against influenza.

ABSTRACT: While therapeutic drugs are routinely self-administered by patients, there is little precedent for self-vaccination. Convenient self-vaccination may expand vaccination coverage and reduce administration costs. Microneedle patches are in development for many vaccines, but no reports exist on usability or acceptability. We hypothesized that naïve patients could apply patches and that self-administered patches would improve stated intent to receive an influenza vaccine. We conducted a randomized, repeated measures study with 91 venue-recruited adults. To simulate vaccination, subjects received placebo microneedle patches given three times by self-administration and once by the investigator, as well as an intramuscular injection of saline. Seventy participants inserted patches with thumb press

SUBMITTER: Norman JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3979961 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature