▁che aper ▁than ▁the ▁materials ▁in ▁hyp od erm ic ▁need les . ▁▁ ▁Mic r one ed les ▁present ▁a ▁new ▁opportunity ▁for ▁home ▁and ▁community ▁based ▁health care . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁biggest ▁draw back s ▁of ▁traditional ▁need les ▁is ▁the ▁ha z ard ous ▁waste ▁that ▁they ▁produce , ▁making ▁dispos al ▁a ▁serious ▁concern ▁for ▁do ctors ▁and ▁hosp it als . ▁For ▁patients ▁who ▁require ▁regular ▁administration ▁of ▁medic ation ▁at ▁home , ▁dispos al ▁can ▁become ▁an ▁environmental ▁concern ▁is ▁need les ▁are ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁tr ash . ▁Mic r one ed les ▁would ▁provide ▁those ▁who ▁are ▁limited ▁in ▁their ▁ability ▁to ▁seek ▁hospital ▁care ▁with ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁safely ▁admin ister ▁dru gs ▁in ▁the ▁comfort ▁of ▁their ▁homes . ▁▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁benefits ▁of ▁mic r one ed les ▁are ▁their ▁lower ▁rates ▁of ▁micro b ial ▁invasion ▁into ▁delivery ▁sites . ▁Trad itional ▁injection ▁methods ▁can ▁leave ▁pun ct ure ▁w ounds ▁for ▁up ▁to ▁ 4 8 ▁hours ▁post - tre at ment . ▁This ▁leaves ▁a ▁large ▁window ▁of ▁opportunity ▁for ▁harm ful ▁b acter ia ▁to ▁enter ▁into ▁the ▁skin . ▁Mic r one ed les ▁only ▁damage ▁the ▁skin ▁to ▁a ▁depth ▁of ▁ 1 0 - 1 5 μ m ▁making ▁it ▁difficult ▁for ▁b acter ia ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁blood stream , ▁and ▁giving ▁the ▁body ▁a ▁smaller ▁w ound ▁to ▁repair . ▁Further ▁research ▁is ▁required ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁types ▁of ▁b acter