Comments on: My Take: First Impressions, New Type 2 Implant, Test Strip Bidding War, and More http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html A gold mine of straight talk and encouragement for people living with diabetes Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:05:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: camille johnson http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40525 camille johnson Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:21:48 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40525 Re #4 - I just have to join in the fight for reasonable costs for test strips. I've often thought of developing my own strips (and making $millions) while selling the strips at something like $5/100. You've got to know that they cost about $.5/100 to produce (or less) so how they get away with charging these rediculous prices is beyond me. Re #4 – I just have to join in the fight for reasonable costs for test strips. I’ve often thought of developing my own strips (and making $millions) while selling the strips at something like $5/100. You’ve got to know that they cost about $.5/100 to produce (or less) so how they get away with charging these rediculous prices is beyond me.

]]> By: Adam Greene http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40524 Adam Greene Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:47:04 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40524 It used to be possible to cut the FreeStyle strip into two to get twice the usage out of it, but then abbot changed the design by placing the electrode on one side only. Grrrrr. Does anyone know of any other strip that can be cut in two? Amy, my first thought about your strip cost issue was that if aviva strips are the cheapest, lets buy that meter (or ask our insurance companies to support it) and if the others are losing market share they'll fall in line. But I think Jenny Ruhl has a really good point. Another senator who is (starting to be?) involved in diabetes health maters is Senator Charles E. Schumer of NY. Jenny, what if we joined forces and wrote a few letters? If you are interested, amy, could you play the middle-woman and exchange our email addresses? Thanks! Adam It used to be possible to cut the FreeStyle strip into two to get twice the usage out of it, but then abbot changed the design by placing the electrode on one side only. Grrrrr. Does anyone know of any other strip that can be cut in two?

Amy, my first thought about your strip cost issue was that if aviva strips are the cheapest, lets buy that meter (or ask our insurance companies to support it) and if the others are losing market share they’ll fall in line. But I think Jenny Ruhl has a really good point. Another senator who is (starting to be?) involved in diabetes health maters is Senator Charles E. Schumer of NY. Jenny, what if we joined forces and wrote a few letters? If you are interested, amy, could you play the middle-woman and exchange our email addresses?

Thanks!
Adam

]]> By: Hannah http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40523 Hannah Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:58:20 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40523 2 Comments on #3, one not necessarily suited for the PG-13 audience so I'll side-step as much as possible: Family-friendly #1: We already have access to something that helps us feel full. It's called Symlin. I think Byetta has similar results, but as an insulin-resistant type 1, I only have experience with Symlin. And that doesn't involve any scary and costly surgery! NON-family friendly #2: The "Tantalus" is definitely the name of a "marital aid" I purchased once. :X 2 Comments on #3, one not necessarily suited for the PG-13 audience so I’ll side-step as much as possible:

Family-friendly #1: We already have access to something that helps us feel full. It’s called Symlin. I think Byetta has similar results, but as an insulin-resistant type 1, I only have experience with Symlin. And that doesn’t involve any scary and costly surgery!

NON-family friendly #2: The “Tantalus” is definitely the name of a “marital aid” I purchased once. :X

]]> By: Dr. Rob http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40522 Dr. Rob Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:02:45 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40522 No question my diabetics, etc. come to my office on a regular basis - but my goal is to have them well-controlled enough that their visits are not problem-focused, but preventive and managerial. I tell them I love to have "boring" visits. There are plenty of patients I see quarterly or even more (all type 1's are q 3 months), but I find good communication makes it much easier to make the visits no more frequent than this. No question my diabetics, etc. come to my office on a regular basis – but my goal is to have them well-controlled enough that their visits are not problem-focused, but preventive and managerial. I tell them I love to have “boring” visits. There are plenty of patients I see quarterly or even more (all type 1′s are q 3 months), but I find good communication makes it much easier to make the visits no more frequent than this.

]]> By: Scott http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40521 Scott Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:28:34 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40521 I read the AADE notice last week about putting its patient-facing weblog on hold and asked the same thing (not that I found the site terribly useful, but still ...) Operating a blog costs nothing, and I'm sure they could find willing writers. The key, I think, is that the AADE carefully edits their pages to make them fully HIPAA compliant, in spite of the fact that they could cover themselves with a simple disclosure, and they also try to avoid posting anything remotely controversial. Perhaps the solution would be for management to rethink their blog strategy?! LCT is an interesting development, but small trials are nevertheless still too small to draw any real conclusions from, but lets wish them continued success. Re: test strips, I think the real issue is the games the manufacturers play with product designs to keep them continually covered with patents. Every few years, they make marginal design changes to get themselves a new patent and cover the product for another 7 years -- in effect, preventing generic competition from ever emerging. Also, why is it that in 2001, J&J was able to acquire Inverness Medical Technology (a onetime generic manufacturer) and the USDOJ didn't even raise their eyebrows? I'm all for a grassroots campaign, but I'm not sure how much we'll realistically be able to accomplish without the help of lawmakers. I read the AADE notice last week about putting its patient-facing weblog on hold and asked the same thing (not that I found the site terribly useful, but still …) Operating a blog costs nothing, and I’m sure they could find willing writers. The key, I think, is that the AADE carefully edits their pages to make them fully HIPAA compliant, in spite of the fact that they could cover themselves with a simple disclosure, and they also try to avoid posting anything remotely controversial. Perhaps the solution would be for management to rethink their blog strategy?!

LCT is an interesting development, but small trials are nevertheless still too small to draw any real conclusions from, but lets wish them continued success.

Re: test strips, I think the real issue is the games the manufacturers play with product designs to keep them continually covered with patents. Every few years, they make marginal design changes to get themselves a new patent and cover the product for another 7 years — in effect, preventing generic competition from ever emerging. Also, why is it that in 2001, J&J was able to acquire Inverness Medical Technology (a onetime generic manufacturer) and the USDOJ didn’t even raise their eyebrows?

I’m all for a grassroots campaign, but I’m not sure how much we’ll realistically be able to accomplish without the help of lawmakers.

]]> By: CALpumper http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40520 CALpumper Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:58:59 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40520 I like the grassroots idea for this test strip issue that seems to never get better. I have a few contacts that could help launch something, possibly, within my state too. Keep us posted Amy. There are enough of us to have our voice heard, somewhere at least!!! I like the grassroots idea for this test strip issue that seems to never get better. I have a few contacts that could help launch something, possibly, within my state too.

Keep us posted Amy. There are enough of us to have our voice heard, somewhere at least!!!

]]> By: MoHo http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40519 MoHo Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:58:49 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40519 What was most significant with the DiabeCell trails so far is that they are using a minimal amount of cells to produce an effect, at least that's how I read it. Perhaps when patients get a "full dose" the results will be more profound? Another wait and see... What was most significant with the DiabeCell trails so far is that they are using a minimal amount of cells to produce an effect, at least that’s how I read it. Perhaps when patients get a “full dose” the results will be more profound? Another wait and see…

]]> By: Jenny Ruhl http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40518 Jenny Ruhl Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:18:47 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40518 Re strips. I wonder if this is something we can ping Senator Charles Grassley on and see if congress might investigate the strip companies for colluding on price setting to the consumer which is illegal. Grassley has been on a one man campaign against drug company abuses. I find it impossible to believe that I can buy a desktop computer for 1/5 the cost of what I paid for a system in 1998 while strips now cost 33% MORE. And are no more accurate. We are a captive audience but the problem is too big for one person. If you want to start collecting names for a petition, etc, count me in! --Jenny Ruhl Re strips.

I wonder if this is something we can ping Senator Charles Grassley on and see if congress might investigate the strip companies for colluding on price setting to the consumer which is illegal.

Grassley has been on a one man campaign against drug company abuses.

I find it impossible to believe that I can buy a desktop computer for 1/5 the cost of what I paid for a system in 1998 while strips now cost 33% MORE. And are no more accurate.

We are a captive audience but the problem is too big for one person. If you want to start collecting names for a petition, etc, count me in!

–Jenny Ruhl

]]> By: PrintCrafter http://www.diabetesmine.com/2008/03/my-take-first-i.html/comment-page-1#comment-40517 PrintCrafter Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:33:46 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2008/03/31/my-take-first-impressions-new-type-2-implant-test-strip-bidding-war-and-more/#comment-40517 RE: the CDE's. From what I've seen, I doubt that many are willing to take the time to do anything for PWDs unless it involves a paycheck! Here in NM the state tried to start a training program for RNs in the sticks and the CDEs all refused to help with trainig with out stipends. RE: the CDE’s. From what I’ve seen, I doubt that many are willing to take the time to do anything for PWDs unless it involves a paycheck! Here in NM the state tried to start a training program for RNs in the sticks and the CDEs all refused to help with trainig with out stipends.

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