For those Australians living with Diabetes there’s a routing process that must be followed each day, if not multiple times a day – the blood glucose check. That check requires a finger prick, to draw blood and test that sample. That could be history with a new gadget from Abbott.
The “Freestyle Libre” is a combination of a “reader” and a sensor. Now I don’t have Diabetes, so I can’t speak for the usability or pain level of this, but I’m reliably informed it beats the heck out of the regular finger pricks.
The small sensor, about the side of a two stacked 20c coins is stuck onto your arm with medical adhesive and will last there for 14 days. A tiny filament (5mm long and 0.4mm wide) is inserted under the skin once, and the sensor is then played over it which then automatically and continuously stores glucose ready to be “read” by the reader.
The “reader” device is then swiped over your arm like a tap-and-go credit card payment, and your Glucose data is displayed in an easy-to-read visual chart.
The reader works through clothes, so you can scan yourself time and time again, plus it’s made to be worn all day every day in the shower, the pool wherever you need. Not for high-contact sport, but certainly great for those with an active lifestyle.
You can take a reading as many times as you like, and the reader holds your data for 90 days so you can monitor glucose levels over time.
Overseas there is also a smartphone app, which is being tested in Australia but there is no estimate for delivery – however, even without that, this is a great change in process for those Aussies living with Diabetes.
The Freestyle Libre reader is priced at $95 and will last you a long long time, while the sensor is also $95, lasting just 14 days.
This seems to be the biggest issue with the product, and might seem steep, but perhaps those living with multiple daily finger prick tests would weigh up the process, convenience and pain-free approach and think it’s well worth the less than $50 a week investment.
Available online at http://www.freestylelibre.com.au/
