The World Health Organization announced today that it is beginning a global campaign to eradicate the use of dirty needles. The initiative warns of the dangers of unsafe injections and instead recommends the use of ‘smart’ syringes. What makes these shots so smart is that are specifically designed so that they cannot be used more than once.

In 2014, the WHO sponsored a study to research the effects of dirty needles. The study found that in 2010 alone (the most recent year that data is available) “1.7 million people were infected with hepatitis B virus, up to 315 000 with hepatitis C virus and as many as 33 800 with HIV through an unsafe injection.”

Over 16 billion injections are administered each year. 10 percent of those injections are for immunizations and procedures such as blood transfusions and injectable contraceptives. The other 90 percent of injections are medicines administered into muscles or under the skin. These injections are unnecessary and in most cases could be replaced with medication administered orally. It is this vast majority of injections that is most dangerous.

While the use of unsterilized needles is of particular concern for the third world, unclean practices affect rich countries just as badly. In 2007, a hepatitis C outbreak occurred in Nevada because a single physician failed to properly clean a syringe.

The new ‘smart’ syringes work in several different ways. Some models have a metal clip that prevents the plunger from going back. Another has the plunger break after injection. The WHO takes particular care to say that one device will not be adequate for all purposes, given the many different reasons for injections.

“Adoption of safety-engineered syringes is absolutely critical to protecting people worldwide from becoming infected with HIV, hepatitis and other diseases.,” said Dr. Gottfried Hirnschall, the Director of the WHO HIV/ AIDS Department. “This should be an urgent priority for all countries.”

The new initiative urges countries to exclusively use ‘smart’ syringes by the year 2020. There would a few exceptional circumstances of course such as when a person connected to an intravenous pump uses a syringe. The one-time-use only syringe would interfere with such a procedure.

Given that ‘smart’ syringes cost approximately $0.06 to produce, many believe this goal can be reached. The WHO is urging donors to support the transition until the prices naturally decline due to increased demand.