Lauren Barber, CEO of NeedleCalm, set about developing and commercialising an Australian-made medical technology that could drastically reduce the discomfort in patients who experience severe anxiety during needle procedures.
Barber has been a registered nurse for around 12 years, originally trained at the Sydney Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga, NSW.
Upon studying cosmetic dermatology and beginning work for a dermatologist in Sydney, she received a needlestick injury during a procedure on a young patient, which required surgery. This was the catalyst for the development of a medical device that could reduce the discomfort associated with needles.
“I started thinking about a lot of the patients that I looked after in the past and noticed a strong correlation between healthcare avoidance and chronic comorbidities that they had,” Barber said.
“These patients have often had a poor experience when they were younger with needle procedures that can range from being held down and restrained, having lumbar puncture, watching siblings go through lots of procedures or having type one diabetic parents inject insulin. In my mind, there was a strong view that something needed to be done that was quick and easy for clinicians to use.”
Using both temperature and texture, NeedleCalm utilises your body’s natural response to certain stimuli to prevent pain signals from reaching the brain.
The company’s signature product, the Needle Desensitising Device, is a Class One Medical Device approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which is disposable but retains a long shelf life. It is designed to be used in over 60 per cent of Australia’s needle procedures carried out each year, including injections, immunisations, venepuncture, and intra venous catheterisations.
The concept behind the device is known as gate control theory, which modulates the perception of pain.
By stimulating the skin near the site, the flow of pain signals to the brain are blocked. The key is administering the Needle Desensitising Device in quick succession to ensure the patient registers a cooling, pressurised sensation instead of the needle.