NON-MECHANICAL SINGLE USE SYRINGE NEEDLE GUARD

INADEQUATE MEANS OF DISPOSAL OF USED SYRINGES HAVE CONTRIBUTED LARGELY TO THE SPREAD OF BLOOD-BORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASES BY ILLICIT USE. ALTHOUGH THE FOCUS IS OFTEN ON AIDS/HIV, THE SPREAD OF HEPATITIS AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES IS EQUALLY DANGEROUS. WHILE HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS DO HAVE PROCEDURES TO PROPERLY DISPOSE USED SYRINGES AND NEEDLES, ALTERNATE PROCEDURES FOR OTHER MEANS OF DISPOSAL NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGAGED. THIS PHASE I ADDRESSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOTYPE WITH THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES: A) SYRINGE AND NEEDLE ARE RENDERED INOPERABLE IMMEDIATELY AFTER USE. B) SYRINGE AND NEEDLE ARE RENDERED USELESS BY THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL OR NON-CLINICAL USER BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO REUSE HANDLERS OF OTHER PARTIES. C) NEEDLE IS MADE INACCESSIBLE-HANDLERS CANNOT BE "STUCK". THE PI HAS EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA OF INJECTION MOLDING AND ASSEMBLY, TOGETHER WITH THE AGREEMENT FOR OBTAINING INPUT FROM HEALTH CARE WORKERS AT A MAJOR MEDICAL CENTER, ARE THE CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF THIS APPLICATION.