Smart syringe changes color after use

For blood-borne diseases such as HIV or hepatitis, it is very dangerous to use the wrong syringe used by the patient. To prevent this situation, David Swann of Huddersfield University (UK) has designed a syringe that can change color after use.

Photos: whatsthefuzz.com

The ABC syringe is immersed in an ink sensitive to carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) before it is tightly sealed, which helps it remain transparent. When opening the bag for use, the syringe comes in contact with the air and begins to turn dark red, thereby alerting the syringe doctors to be used.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, about 1.3 million people worldwide die each year from unsafe injections, of which more than 30% are cases of hepatitis A and B and 5% of HIV cases. Especially in India, this situation is very common when scavengers often search for old syringes, then wash and resell to clinics. Swann estimates that if the ABC syringe is used for 5% of injections in India, after 5 years, it will prevent more than 700,000 unsafe injections and save $ 130 million in medical expenses.

According to Swann, ABC syringes with slightly higher prices than normal ones will help a lot in the injecting process if put into practical applications.'The biggest advantage of this initiative is that not only medical staff but patients can also evaluate the safety of the device itself' - Swann said.