The project used an existing asthma inhaler as inspiration, and after doing research on orally inhalable vaccines, specific modifications were proposed to the inhaler so it could be effectively used for vaccine delivery. Then, the three distinct models were created to analyze the performance of the newly altered device. The first model revealed what would be the necessary pressure inside of the canister in order to deliver all doses of the vaccine and the wall thickness necessary to sustain that pressure. Then, another model was designed to determine the optimal size of the vaccine particles for deposition in the lungs and the required nozzle opening to achieve that size. Finally, the last prototype was a 3D printed shell and canister to assess the shape, fit of the canister, material, and user’s ability to handle the product.
As a result of all of this work, the team can successfully say that oral vaccine delivery systems like the one described in this project present a perfectly viable and painless alternative to traditional injection vaccines while remaining safe, effective, and financially accessible. The team further believes that moving forward with the production process of this device would allow many people who refuse annual vaccinations due to fear of needles, to be confident in receiving vaccinations, while also increasing herd immunity and reducing needlestick injuries amongst healthcare workers and needle-based vaccine injuries amongst patients.
Though some alternatives to the traditional needle-injection vaccine are currently available (like jet injection and intranasal spray vaccines) they remain expensive, invasive, uncomfortable, and incapable of self-administration, suggesting that there is still a need for additional products in this area to satisfy each of these concerns, which we believe could be met by the Modified Inhaler for Oral Vaccine Delivery.
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