Some People are afraid to vaccinate because of the needles. However, vaccine for flu without needle will soon be available on the market. Needle free shots can be interpreted as a needle-free vaccine.

“Needle-free vaccines are generally safer, simpler, and more convenient to use,” said Bruce Weniger, MD, MPH, an editor of the journal Vaccine, as reported by WebMD.

Needle free shots will also be more comfortable and not to scare patients who are psychologically afraid of needles, said Michael Decker, MD, professor of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.

The experts discussed the progress of vaccine development, ranging from traditional vaccines based on the needle until the vaccine is now available on the market. Discussion by the experts took place in the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy to 51.

This type of new generation vaccines that are already on the market is the type of jet injectors. Jet injector is a device resembling a gun that can spray the liquid vaccine, Weniger said. PharmaJet is one type of needle-free vaccine.

How it works is by inoculation PharmaJet high pressure through the skin. PharmaJet can be offered as an alternative for people who are afraid of needles. PharmaJet will give more comfort than the traditional flu vaccine given by injection for patients who are afraid of needles.

Another advantage of the jet injector is only required smaller doses to achieve the inoculation. Thus saving vaccine, when vaccine shortages, Weniger said.

However, jet injectors can cause discomfort for a moment, because the jet injector is basically a blow to the skin with a concentrated liquid spray.

Several types of tools for vaccinations that are already available in the market, among others:

1. Patches on the skin to fight the flu

Intercell is working on a patch to address pandemic influenza vaccines, such as outbreaks of bird flu. After a dose of vaccine is injected, then the patch is placed over the skin areas that have been vaccinated.

Patches can release chemicals that are designed to enhance the immune response to injected vaccines. The patch is placed on the skin resembling plaster. This drug will dissolve into the skin and then the rest will peel off.

Like the injector, the patch allows the use of fewer doses of vaccine or lower, he said. The patch has been tested in the past year, but obtained disappointing results. So now the patch is being tested in combination with other types of H5N1 vaccine.

2. Hair-thin needles

Although not free of needles, other systems of any new vaccine that has been using hair-thin needles for vaccination. Vaccines with hair-thin needle is given the name Fluzone intradermal. Fluzone intradermal injected into the skin, not into the muscle as the traditional flu shots.

“Although not a needle-free vaccine system, but at least Fluzone intradermal can reduce pain in patients who are vaccinated. Patients are vaccinated with Fluzone Intradermal will not feel a deep muscle pain as the traditional flu shot,” said Weniger.

Fluzone has been licensed by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for use in the 2011-2012 flu season. Not all vaccines are available with a needle-free system. Bioject intradermal Pen Injector is now being investigated for the use of polio vaccine and rabies.

Hair-thin needles to enter the liquid vaccine through the funnel is very thin. Because the needles are very thin, often broken when it is used to insert the liquid vaccine in patients.

But the vaccine is injected intradermal (in the skin) has a number of advantages, that is not too dependent on the cooperation of patients. In addition to the intradermal vaccination system, a specific vaccine will be available with the preparation that is sprayed in the mouth or nose.

The results of this study have been presented at a medical conference and has been published in a medical journal.