Color changing composition and method for coating said composition on acupuncture needles, hypodermic syringes and other needles used in medical applications

Abstract

A color changing reagent composition and method for coating onto acupuncture needles, syringe needles and other needle containing medical devices which upon contact with such bodily fluids as blood, mucous, saliva, and semen will cause the composition coated needle to change in color to signal a prior use and contamination with a possibly infected bodily fluid. The preferred composition is selected from the group consisting of gualac acid, benzidine, Barfoeds solution, Benedicts solution, cresol, catechol, phenylenediamine, Haynes solution, phenol, leuco malachite green, leuco-crystal violet, peroxidase, pseudoperoxidase, orthotolodine, orthodianisidine, cumene hydroperoxide, tretramethylbenzedene and 2,2-azinodi-(3-ethylbenzyl)azoline sulfunic acid. After the coated needle comes in contact with a bodily fluid having a catalyst it will, upon oxidation, change from being in a colorless state to having a visually detectable color. The invention will reduce both the mistaken or even intentional re-use of used and possibly disease contaminated needles and provides a revolutionary means of minimizing the continued spread of such bodily fluid transfered diseases as AIDS and Hepatitis B.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.