Needleless injection. Hand presses a Powderject needleless syringe against a patient's arm to inject a drug transdermally through the skin. The user's finger touches the firing button. This plastic reusable device is designed to administer powdered drugs. Pen-shaped, it contains a compressed air pellet. A capsule of powdered drug is placed into the device. By holding the nozzle to the skin and firing, compressed gas forces the drug painlessly at supersonic speed into the skin. Needleless syringes cut the risk of transmitting bloodborne diseases. Vaccines, insulin, and anti- biotics may be delivered in this way. The device was developed by Oxford BioSciences, UK.