An electrospun, insulin-loaded patch that could be stuck to the inside of a person's cheek, where it can deliver the hormone in a less invasive way than conventional routes, is being developed by researchers at the University of Lille in France. According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately six million Americans use insulin to help control their diabetes, either because their bodies do not make the hormone (Type 1) or do not respond well to what they do make (Type 2). People primarily take insulin by injecting themselves with pens or syringes, or they have semi-permanent pumps implanted, but these methods are invasive and uncomfortable. Further, the pens and syringes must be kept sterile and must be disposed of safely. Researchers have explored other vehicles, such as gel-like lotions, to deliver insulin through the skin, but these are absorbed too slowly. By contrast, the membrane lining the inside of the mouth is very thin, making it a good site for drugs to enter the bloodstream easily.
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