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AADE Product Watch: the Weird and Wonderful
Expect the unexpected. That’s what they say. A few items that made me do a double-take on the expo floor at the AADE Annual Meeting earlier this month:
* Renew Lancing System from CanAm Care — looks kinda retro and fun to use, but 1) you can’t re-use the tiny needles, and there are just 20 per cartridge, so frequent testers like me would almost use up an entire cartridge every day, and 2) I’m expecting the disposable cartridges are kind of expensive and inconvenient to carry around. BUT the company says Renew is targeted to children — who might be delighted to never see or handle an individual lancet again — and Type 2’s and newly diagnosed PWD’s, who [ditto on the former, plus] may test a lot less frequently, so their pretty green cartridges will last a whole lot longer.
* DUO-CARE™ Combined Blood Glucose and Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor — go ahead, try one on! No way 
I’d ever wear a thing like that. Looks like the monitor Lindsay Lohan had to wear on her ankle following her DUI. BUT again, for a specific audience: those stay-at-home older patients might find this handy if not a bit too space-age for them. In case you’re wondering, blood pressure is measured using the wrist cuff, while you do have to follow the usual procedure — insert a test strip and bleed on it — to get your BG results. Just because you wear it on your wrist doesn’t mean it’s non-invasive 
* MedPort Fit & Fresh storage containers — what, they’re showing Tupperware at these conferences now?
But no, upon closer inspection, MedPort has created a whole line of specialty food-storage packs with their proprietary ice-pack technology built in. Keeps your salad fresh for up to six hours! They’ve also teamed up with celebrity chef Jon Ashton to bring you “signature recipes” for the F&F containers. Kind of a cool idea to make “bringing lunch” that much more fun.
* Generex is still working on their metformin chewing gum. Nothing new to see at the show this year, but they tell me the gum’s in Phase I clinical trials. Hopefully in Bubblicious flavors. Like I said, you never know…
I never see a lancet and I can reuse them- it’s called the Multiclix.
Posted by: Christine | August 28th, 2007 at 7:25 amProducts like these really show me that people are incapable of thinking outside the box when it comes to medical devices. Aside from the recent Charmr ideas (which is truly exciting), most ideas I see actually getting produced are like these - recycled, repackaged, and overall, useless.
Man, if I have some investment capitol, I’d be throwing it at the Charmr. Is there anyway to divert some if the funds raised for a “cure”, to go towards investing in technology that makes diabetes more manageable today?
Hey, I am all for a cure, but let’s not limit ourselves by putting all our eggs in the cure basket. I am suffering now and I, like millions of others, may never see a cure in my lifetime. However, I could see a kick-butt pump.
Posted by: Justin | August 28th, 2007 at 8:28 amThere is already an affordable lancing pen available with a cartridge. The Accu-Check Multiclix. I’m a type 1, diagnosed Nov. 2006, and I’ve used this pen for six months and I love it! You never see a needle, because it’s in the drum. It is also much more comfortable than other lancet devices (less pain). A pack of 100 needles (contained in about 17 drums) costs about $15.
Posted by: Clinton | August 28th, 2007 at 10:06 amThanks, guys, I’m familiar with the Multi-Clix. I think the differentiator is supposed to be the tiny size of needles in the Renew, and the fact that you CANNOT reuse them (i.e. hygiene).
Posted by: AmyT | August 28th, 2007 at 10:49 amHi Amy, I found you through this week’s Grand Rounds. I’ve been reading through your recent posts. You have an excellent diabetes resource here. I’m going to add you to my blogroll. I hope you don’t mind the heading I’m putting you under.
Dean
Posted by: Dean Moyer | August 28th, 2007 at 11:51 amAnyone else think “Advair” when they see the renew? If I’m not careful I might end up inhaling a lancet!
Posted by: Christine | August 28th, 2007 at 11:59 amLast time I was admitted to the hospital, I found out I had to check my blood pressure a little more often. I found a really reliable one, its a built in glucometer and blood pressure, its called the Advocate Duo, its pretty good, check it out.
Posted by: chris | August 28th, 2007 at 12:09 pm