Vaccine delivery system

Claim 1

A vaccine delivery system suitable for human administration comprising a hypodermic syringe having a single dosage container portion made of a plastic material which is resiliently flexible at room temperature and a needle portion comprising a hollow sharp needle extending from the plastic container portion to convey fluids from within the container out through the tip of the needle when the needle is inserted under the skin and the container is squeezed, a vaccine in an amount suitable for human administration sealed within the container, the vaccine being in the lyophilized state, whereby the vaccine is preserved for storage and shipment and the syringe is protected from leakage during storage and shipment, and a separate container of a single dose of water for injection to reconstitute the lyophilized vaccine in the hypodermic syringe.

Claim 12

A method of preparing vaccine for delivery storage and administration comprising the steps of filling a plurality of single dosage, tubular, flexible, hypodermic syringes with an aqueous vaccine diluted to human administration concentrations, freezing the vaccine, lyophilizing the vaccine, sealing the syringes closed under anhydrous conditions, and enveloping and sealing a plurality of the filled and sealed syringes inside a gas, moisture and light impervious bag.

Claim 13

A method of preparing vaccine for delivery storage and administration comprising the steps of filling a plurality of single dosage, tubular, flexible, hypodermic syringes with an aqueous vaccine diluted to human administration concentrations, freezing the vaccine, lyophilizing the vaccine, sealing the syringes closed under anhydrous conditions, and enveloping and sealing a plurality of the filled and sealed syringes inside a gas, moisture and light impervious bag.