Those who dread hypodermic needles may someday be able to apply their medicine on their skin instead, a couple of researchers believe. Two University of Toronto chemists, Dr. Geoffrey Ozin and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Kai Landskron, announced recently they had created an unusual material using man-made molecules called dendrimers. They believe it can store drugs, and, when spread on the skin as a film, allow them to dissipate into a patient’s bloodstream like a new type of patch. However, the material is far from being on the market and must still undergo a lot more testing before researchers know whether it’s safe or effective for humans. What makes the material unique is that scientists think that it can deliver drugs to a person over a long period of time in amounts much smaller than from patches currently sold in drug stores. This may solve a long standing dilemma for medical professionals and offer relief for millions of diabetes patients.
