A Sussex licensing company behind a self-destructing syringe has called for tougher legislation to prevent millions of children dying from Aids.

Forest Row-based Star Syringe, which licenses its design to global manufacturers, says governments should act to stop HIV spreading through injections.

Star estimates its K1 syringe, which cannot be used more than once and is currently licensed to 52 countries, saves roughly 500,000 lives every year.

The World Health Organisation has estimated 1.3 million children die every year from syringes being reused. Other groups believe the figure is much higher.

Star founder Marc Koska, who invented the K1, reckons the spread of HIV through syringes could be stopped if autodesible (AD) syringes were used more widely.

Brazil and India are leading the way by introducing legislation which means all immunisations in future must be carried out with AD syringes.

Marc, 43, said: "Disposable syringes are reused, not everywhere and not by everyone, but to such an extent that pathogens are transmitted between patients, with deadly consequences.

"One solution is to manufacture syringes that can only be used once and these have to be as user friendly and commercially viable as possible.

"The beauty of our product is that is uses existing machinery so manufacturers do not have to replace their equipment, so the overall costs are quite low."

Earlier this month, UNAIDS executive director Peter Piot, speaking at a seminar organised by the Red Cross, said the spread of HIV was "as big a threat as terrorism".

But while millions of pounds in world aid are spent fighting the disease each year, some of that money is inadvertently spreading the disease through disposable syringes.

Marc was inspired to invent the K1 after reading a British newspaper report on the emerging crisis of HIV/AIDS, which had just been identified in 1983.

He designed the K1 himself and in 1996 founded Star Syringe, a licensing company, to get the technology produced.

Star now has licensees with 14 factories around the world.

The K1 is a mechanical locking device moulded into the plunger of the syringe which stops reuse or refilling after one complete injection.

Wednesday April 28, 2004