At
the European
Association for the Study of Diabetes conference in Stockholm, Sweden,
pharmaceutical firm Sanofi-Aventis took the wraps off its iBGStar Blood Glucose
Meter, which will attach to the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch.
The
iBGStar uses a technology by medical device manufacturer Agamatrix called
Dynamic Electrochemistry to read a spectrum of information in the blood and
produce accurate glucose counts. Dynamic Electrochemistry readings can
compensate for altitude and temperature variations, Sanofi-Aventis reports.
Sanofi-Aventis,
based in Paris, makes Lantus,
the top-selling insulin drug and has been producing diabetes medication since
1923.
The
iBGStar glucometer with iPhone and iPod connectivity allows diabetics to record
300 glucose readings, with each test session lasting 6 seconds, and then send
the data to their doctor. Sanofi-Aventis also makes a stand-alone version of
the mobile device called BGStar, which will hold 1,865 test results, recording
the date, testing time and meal time. The BGStar unit also can sound up to
seven alerts to notify users when it's time to take a reading.
Patients
will be able to download iBGStar Diabetes Manager from the Apple App
Store on iTunes to record blood glucose readings, carbs intake, insulin
dose, injections, medications and exercise patterns. The app also forms an
analysis of reading patterns based on different circumstances, like if a
diabetic ate a food item that's not on the meal plan, and uses the iPhone's power
to compute data and display results.
While introducing the device at the Stockholm conference,
Pierre Chancel, senior vice president of Sanofi-Aventis' global diabetes
division, stressed how the new device will easily fit into the daily lives of
diabetics.
"This
generation of innovative blood glucose monitors is key to making diabetes care
fit into the everyday lives of people with diabetes and potentially improving
their confidence in managing their condition," Chancel said according to a
Sanofi-Aventis statement. "It is an important step toward our goal of
delivering seamless connectivity between diagnostics, treatment and
monitoring."
Although
Sanofi-Aventis claims that the iBGStar is the first medical peripheral that can
be connected to the iPhone or iPod Touch, others have come before. Johnson
& Johnson's LifeScan division demonstrated its OneTouch glucose-reading
gadgets at Apple's iPhone 3.0 preview event in March 2009. The OneTouch units
connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth.
As
the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions reported earlier in September, mobile devices have a big future in health monitoring. The
Deloitte study found that diabetic and hypertensive patients at the Cleveland
Clinic who used their smartphones to send medical readings to electronic
medical records kept by physicians were able to reduce their visits to the
doctor's office.
According
to the American Diabetic Association, 23.6 million people in the United States,
or 7.8 percent of the population, have been diagnosed with the condition.
Both
the iBGStar and BGStar, announced on Sept. 21, will be available in early 2011.
Sanofi-Aventis is seeking FDA approval for the products.
Health Care IT News & Reviews 
