Painless patch could replace flu jab: study

Excellent step in the right direction. Cue anti-vaxxers claiming the patch makes you grow another head or something.

oop doctors wont like this it means they wont be able to charge a visit for everyone who wants the vaccine

What makes you think this would be the case? the reason for a medical visit for vaccinations is not that the vaccine is difficult to administer but because there is need for a check up in order to be used safely. There is no way a vaccine is going to be available over the counter, and any doctor that sends this without examining the person receiving it opens the door to lawsuits and losing their license if anything happens (even if there is no proven relationship with the vaccine).

Without wishing to add fuel to unnecessary worries about vaccines, I must warn that people also have to watch out for allergies to the medicines in (for example) plasters. Would the micro-needle structure obviate this? If not, MDs had better be consulted, as "murabito" wrote, to check on safety. Sometimes one has to use medicine despite allergies (anti-Parkinsonian medicines seems to be largely Sulfa drugs, for example), but with plasters that means at least itchiness if not pain for the allergic.

The pharmacist is more than qualified to run through a quick medical and allergy history, and administers the vaccine too. 

Its still the same, in that case the pharmacist is the one that performs the medical visit, in some countries that can be a qualified nurse. The point is that someone has to see the patient and confirm that there is no reason to pass on the vaccine, maybe the confusion is that I have only seen "over the counter" used for things that can be bought without need to see any kind of health professional (it can be sold from a vending machine for example).

In the original quote the user is complaining doctors would receive less money because this vaccine can be sent in the mail, that would not be the case, any person receiving this from the pharmacist could do it even now so there is no change.

What makes you think this would be the case? the reason for a medical visit for vaccinations is not that the vaccine is difficult to administer but because there is need for a check up in order to be used safely. There is no way a vaccine is going to be available over the counter, and any doctor that sends this without examining the person receiving it opens the door to lawsuits and losing their license if anything happens (even if there is no proven relationship with the vaccine).

You are looking at this from a very narrow cultural and social filter.

Flu vaccines are available 'over the counter' in the UK, from pharmacies. The pharmacist is more than qualified to run through a quick medical and allergy history, and administers the vaccine too. In fact, they can offer quite a bit of advice on minor illness and medications and this means you do not need to see your GP.

But the patch is expected to be cheaper because it can be sent through the mail and self-administered. oop doctors wont like this it means they wont be able to charge a visit for everyone who wants the vaccine

What people need to know: flu vaccines ... are a HOAX.