Marc Koska: 1.3m reasons to re-invent the syringe

http://www.ted.com Reuse of syringes, all too common in under-funded clinics, kills 1.3 million each year. Marc Koska clues us in to this devastating global problem with facts, photos and hidden-camera footage. He shares his solution: a low-cost syringe that can't be used twice.

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[cri8tor]

LadyVlolence

I agree with your assertion. However, because people refuse to follow S.O.P., does that mean we should excuse their laziness and make new products that have a high environmental cost? Instead, shouldn't we should enforce Standard Operating Procedures and not coddle those who refuse to follow them? Training, training and more training is a better answer.

[phicubed]

I'll probably get in crap for posting this but I feel I need to.

The way to 'hack' around that is to "not push it all the way to the end where it locks - simply push it until it almost locks. then load it up again and reuse it."

Fail. Sorry.

[crudhousefull]

@Mishkafofer Uh huh...with the US going around with its big stick...who could afford not to? Scares me many times more than Iran having nuclear weapons

[marsCubed]

@marckoska Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I do not doubt your motives and the efficacy of removing reusable syringes from the equation, it just seems that reusable syringes would be sourced by those with the bad practices. Of course it will make some difference, but i wonder how much, even small cost increases seem to drive the problem.

it is more criticism than rebuke. good luck to you.

[marckoska]

@RazielKain cheaper by x100 than the infection!

[marckoska]

@xphilli well we have sold 2 billion so far...... and if they can't afford 5 cents, they can't afford the treatment needed if they acquire Hep B. You know when seat belts were introduced some people refused to use them and had tons of strong reasons why. Now, we don't hear that argument often and most wear them and that is progress.

[marckoska]

@marsCubed Interested in your comment. Does that mean you would be happy if the cutlery in a restaurant was not washed from the previous customer if you had 10 cents knocked off the bill?

Drugs are more expensive than syringes so the patients pay for a full dose.

How cheap would you like a syringe to be?

[marsCubed]

If the syringe cannot be reused 20 or 30 times, then that makes it 20-30 times more expensive.

Also, syringes could be over filled & used for several injections, thus never requiring the plunger to be withdrawn, it solves nothing.

Cheaper sharps and syringes, better training & adequate sterilizing equipment (so syringes could be reused safely) would be a much better better.

[Jus2mello]

@phicubed

I don't think it's a fail but the first step to improvement!

If the syringe would lock at any given point to where it has been pushed in and could not be pulled further out that could be the ultimate solution.