International recognition for syringe that changes colour in order to deter harmful reuse
For designing a device that has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives, Dr David Swann (University of Huddersfield UK) has been awarded the 2014 World Design Impact Prize. The ABC Syringe (A Behaviour Changing Syringe) is the full name given to the invention, designed to tackle a massive global healthcare problem.
The plastic syringe is colourless while it remains in its nitrogen-filled pack. Exposure to air activates an ink applied to the label on the barrel.
The ink, having absorbed CO², turns the label to red, alerting patients to the fact that the syringe has been used once and is therefore no longer sterile (News Item University of Huddersfield, 3 March 2014).
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