Comments on: Raising the Bar on Glucose Meter Accuracy: The Industry Recommends… http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html A gold mine of straight talk and encouragement for people living with diabetes Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:28:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Scott K. Johnson http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515483 Scott K. Johnson Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:48:16 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515483 I too am amazed that there are so many variables in what we have been trained to think of as accurate. Is it any wonder why we go high or low when the math we're using could be off so much? And this stuff doesn't even address the trillion other variables we deal with. I too am amazed that there are so many variables in what we have been trained to think of as accurate.

Is it any wonder why we go high or low when the math we’re using could be off so much? And this stuff doesn’t even address the trillion other variables we deal with.

]]> By: Cary http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515283 Cary Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:43:01 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515283 Does anyone have a clue as to what it would take to get from 20% to 10% accuracy? Is there a technical limitation of the strip? Meter? Both? Do we need more blood? Longer wait time? I'd easily cough up much more blood (and money) for +/- 5-10% accuracy. Does anyone have a clue as to what it would take to get from 20% to 10% accuracy? Is there a technical limitation of the strip? Meter? Both?

Do we need more blood? Longer wait time? I’d easily cough up much more blood (and money) for +/- 5-10% accuracy.

]]> By: vivasls http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515200 vivasls Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:35:48 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515200 Regarding recommendation #3 around safeguards- In the Ultra's operating manual it says that if you don't have enough blood you could get "an error message or a false reading"! Yikes. I think I'd rather have an error message! Regarding recommendation #3 around safeguards- In the Ultra’s operating manual it says that if you don’t have enough blood you could get “an error message or a false reading”! Yikes. I think I’d rather have an error message!

]]> By: Tell the FDA: +/-20% BG meter accuracy is not enough! « Luke's D Day http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515147 Tell the FDA: +/-20% BG meter accuracy is not enough! « Luke's D Day Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:54:06 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515147 [...] to post below: Amy Tenderich (Diabetes Mine) has posted a couple updates on this issue, including a white paper released by Roche and an interview with Ellen Ullman, mother to a son with type 1 and the only patient advocate at [...] [...] to post below: Amy Tenderich (Diabetes Mine) has posted a couple updates on this issue, including a white paper released by Roche and an interview with Ellen Ullman, mother to a son with type 1 and the only patient advocate at [...]

]]> By: SteveS http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515142 SteveS Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:10:03 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515142 Hearing from "experts" that a 20% error margin is just fine for us non-experts is only demonstrating that said experts have a knowledge gap regarding patients, and have heard too much propaganda from manufacturers. I am not sure if there is any sort of medical analysis equipment currently in use where an error margin as large as 20% is considered permissible. What the 20% error margin allows is a considerable reduction in cost of both the meter and the test strips, as compared to some more accurate technology that would cost more to produce. The argument that manufacturers don't want to spend R&D funds and then raise the production costs on a very profitable product makes considerably more sense to me than the explanation that users are either not interested or don't need any more than 20% accuracy. HemoCue makes a smallish (about the size of a paperback) meter that works similarly to typical BG meters. However, it achieves the same accuracy as the most sophisticated lab analysis equipment. It's expensive and requires a 5 uL sample, but perhaps it's possible to develop something that relaxes the accuracy to 5%, uses a smaller sample size, and has a lower production cost. As a matter of fact, David Mendosa reported in early 2006 that HemoCue was about to file a 510(k) on a consumer version of their meter. It had the same lab-standard accuracy as their larger meter, and was expected to sell for about $70. http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2006/02/01/4515/hemocue-is-coming/ I have always wondered what happened to this product. It does show that 4 years ago, one manufacturer found it feasible to create a far more accurate meter aimed at the high end of the consumer market. Given advances in technology from 4 years ago, I can't believe that a meter like this is not an achievable goal. Hearing from “experts” that a 20% error margin is just fine for us non-experts is only demonstrating that said experts have a knowledge gap regarding patients, and have heard too much propaganda from manufacturers. I am not sure if there is any sort of medical analysis equipment currently in use where an error margin as large as 20% is considered permissible. What the 20% error margin allows is a considerable reduction in cost of both the meter and the test strips, as compared to some more accurate technology that would cost more to produce. The argument that manufacturers don’t want to spend R&D funds and then raise the production costs on a very profitable product makes considerably more sense to me than the explanation that users are either not interested or don’t need any more than 20% accuracy.
HemoCue makes a smallish (about the size of a paperback) meter that works similarly to typical BG meters. However, it achieves the same accuracy as the most sophisticated lab analysis equipment. It’s expensive and requires a 5 uL sample, but perhaps it’s possible to develop something that relaxes the accuracy to 5%, uses a smaller sample size, and has a lower production cost. As a matter of fact, David Mendosa reported in early 2006 that HemoCue was about to file a 510(k) on a consumer version of their meter. It had the same lab-standard accuracy as their larger meter, and was expected to sell for about $70.
http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2006/02/01/4515/hemocue-is-coming/
I have always wondered what happened to this product. It does show that 4 years ago, one manufacturer found it feasible to create a far more accurate meter aimed at the high end of the consumer market. Given advances in technology from 4 years ago, I can’t believe that a meter like this is not an achievable goal.

]]> By: Will http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515121 Will Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:58:44 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515121 I have a lot of concerns with these changes in accuracy: Will test strips soon be $5 a piece instead of the already outrageous $1 a piece? Will those $5 test strips fail more often, requiring more frequent sticks as well as the extra expense? What about the price of meters? Will more companies just simply get out of the meter business because the standards are too high? (further driving up prices) Will meters become more difficult to use? ("We are sorry. You must insert a new lancet before meter can be operated..."). You see accuracy. I see more control being taken away from me about how I use my meter. I have a lot of concerns with these changes in accuracy:

Will test strips soon be $5 a piece instead of the already outrageous $1 a piece?

Will those $5 test strips fail more often, requiring more frequent sticks as well as the extra expense?

What about the price of meters?

Will more companies just simply get out of the meter business because the standards are too high? (further driving up prices)

Will meters become more difficult to use? (“We are sorry. You must insert a new lancet before meter can be operated…”).

You see accuracy. I see more control being taken away from me about how I use my meter.

]]> By: Most Tweeted Articles by Diabetes Experts: MrTweet http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515109 Most Tweeted Articles by Diabetes Experts: MrTweet Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:32:01 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515109 <strong>Your article was most tweeted by Diabetes experts in the Twitterverse...</strong> Come see other top popular articles surfaced by Diabetes experts!... Your article was most tweeted by Diabetes experts in the Twitterverse…

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]]> By: Monique http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515107 Monique Thu, 25 Mar 2010 06:19:36 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515107 Hiya It seems to be a Canadian ad (judging by the .ca on the website) which makes it 5.3mmol/L which translates to around 96mg/dl. Not quite diabetes perfection, so I wouldn't be encouraging him to throw it either! Good job Amy on raising awareness of an incredible issue. Can't believe there are no standards on these seemingly basic aspects to testing that affect every single person (with d) and every single meter.. Particularly when there are so many guidelines are based on the number and treated as gospel: do not exercise if over 16mmol/L (288mg/dl), if ambo's visit you at home for an errr middle of the night seizure, they won't take you into hospital if you test over 4mmol/L (72), etc etc Monique Hanley Hiya

It seems to be a Canadian ad (judging by the .ca on the website) which makes it 5.3mmol/L which translates to around 96mg/dl. Not quite diabetes perfection, so I wouldn’t be encouraging him to throw it either!

Good job Amy on raising awareness of an incredible issue. Can’t believe there are no standards on these seemingly basic aspects to testing that affect every single person (with d) and every single meter..

Particularly when there are so many guidelines are based on the number and treated as gospel: do not exercise if over 16mmol/L (288mg/dl), if ambo’s visit you at home for an errr middle of the night seizure, they won’t take you into hospital if you test over 4mmol/L (72), etc etc

Monique Hanley

]]> By: Sajabla http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515104 Sajabla Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:29:14 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515104 It's absolutely 5.3 mmol. I zoomed in using my browser. I think the ad is risky and eye catching. It doesn't bother me. The fact is, with 20% within the acutal the acceptable range, having the meter read wrong could be just as life threatening as having knives thrown at you. Ok, slight exaggeration. I just don't understand why there needs to be an uproar over this ad. It's pretty and it makes it's point. That's advertising, no? Plus, it's getting attention, another plus. It’s absolutely 5.3 mmol. I zoomed in using my browser.

I think the ad is risky and eye catching. It doesn’t bother me. The fact is, with 20% within the acutal the acceptable range, having the meter read wrong could be just as life threatening as having knives thrown at you.

Ok, slight exaggeration. I just don’t understand why there needs to be an uproar over this ad. It’s pretty and it makes it’s point. That’s advertising, no? Plus, it’s getting attention, another plus.

]]> By: Sara http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/03/raising-the-bar-on-glucose-meter-accuracy-the-industry-recommends.html/comment-page-1#comment-515103 Sara Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:17:41 +0000 http://www.diabetesmine.com/?p=15089#comment-515103 I can't read the small print, but is it 53 mg/dL or could it possibly be 5.3 mmol? I can’t read the small print, but is it 53 mg/dL or could it possibly be 5.3 mmol?

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