GENEVA, MAY 22 – RETRAGO, an Italian patented innovative reinvention of the syringe, implementing safety mechanisms promoting infection prevention and control, has been chosen by UNAIDS for the Health Innovation Exchange Marketplace as one of the TOP 20 Health Innovations potential to deliver global impact for countries reaching the WHO’s Sustainable Development Goals target.
The event showcasing 24 innovations for HIV, tuberculosis and health systems is taking place from the 21st – 23rd May at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on the margins of the 72nd World Health Assembly 2019. The innovations include rapid disease screening technologies, games and quizzes for education on sexual health and sustainable solutions for the provision of and support for primary health care.
After a single injection, the RETRAGO syringe automatically retracts the exposed needle and prevents the re-use of the syringe. RETRAGO is the first affordable automatically retractable syringe that features Auto Disable (AD), Re-Use Prevention (RUP), and Sharp Injury Protection (SIP) safety mechanisms in one device. The combination of these safety features not only protects patients, but also healthcare workers, waste management workers and the community from the risk of accidental needlestick injuries (NSI) and syringe re-use, potentially saving millions of lives.
WHO believes the most effective way to reduce infections is the transition to the exclusive use of “smart syringes”: these syringes have re-use protection features (AD – Auto Disable and RUP Re-use prevent) to protect patients, and sharps injury prevention features (SIP – Sharp Injury Protection) to reduce sharps injuries to healthcare and waste management workers. Safety engineered injection devices currently in the market are extremely complex, with a lot of components that increase their production costs. This is the reason why they are not competitive with traditional syringes.
A 2014 study sponsored by WHO estimated that up to 1,7 million people were infected in 2010 with Hepatitis B virus, up to 315.000 with Hepatitis C, and up to 38.000 with HIV, due to unsafe injections. Occupational infections among healthcare workers result in significant financial costs for National Health Services and Insurance companies, which can add up to $1 million for tests, follow-up, disability payments, legal expenses and lost time. Retrago is the first pre-filled safety syringe with retractable needle available on the market. It can be used for pre-filled drugs and vaccines, ensuring safety for patients and healthcare workers.
The Health Innovation Exchange links innovators to investors and innovations to implementers. Launched on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, the initiative aims to support global efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The Health Innovation Exchange is about connecting solutions to the challenges that health systems are facing,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director, a.i. “It’s about working in the partnership spirit of Sustainable Development Goal 17 and making innovations and investments work for everyone.”
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.(@OnuItalia)
