A SCOTTISH company has produced the first nose-only Covid swab made in Scotland.
While the Covid vaccine roll-out progresses, testing is predicted to remain part of our lives for a long time to come, especially for travel and group activities.
The nose-only swab has now been manufactured in a collaboration between the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) based at Heriot-Watt University, the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) and Paisley-based 3D-printing company Abergower.
The 3D-printed swabs provide a less intrusive experience compared to traditional cotton bud swabs, cutting testing time, reducing anxiety and minimising discomfort for patients.
MDMC and SMAS at Scottish Enterprise, along with other Scottish companies including E&O Laboratories and Andersen Caledonia, worked with the Scottish firm over the last 10 months to design and develop the swabs to UK and European specification and standards.
Professor Marc Desmulliez, from Heriot-Watt University, who is manager of the MDMC, said: “It’s easy to forget how critical the situation was last year and the challenges the country faced in getting the right type and quantity of medical devices for testing and personal protection equipment.”
The unique helix designed tip of the swab and its tiny features guarantee that sufficient material is collected to provide a definitive result. The unique configuration of the tip of the swab allows capillary retention of the liquid as well as preventing the liquid from escaping the tip.
The amount of viral load is further increased because the swab is non-absorbent unlike most cotton varieties.
Abergower received the exclusive license to manufacture the swabs in Europe from US Company, EnvisionTec Inc.
Robin Prior, managing director of Abergower, said: “The advantages of using 3D-printing technology to rapidly design, develop and launch a highly effective product to meet the challenge of the worldwide pandemic has been demonstrated through this collaboration.
“As the UK’s first approved manufacturer of this product, we see strong future potential in this emerging technology.”
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