Diabetes Mine: Continuous Monitoring: The Next Big Thing
Hopefully the trackback will work, but here’s the deal ….
They can’t get it to work reliabily.
Minimed has had a continous monitor that doctors give to their patients to wear for 3 days and then they download the data.
For over a year, Minimed has been promising a patient worn, all the time device. So far, it hasn’t been made available. It’s called the Guardian.
Here’s my guesses from the research I’ve been reading:
a) The FDA won’t release another continuous monitor until they are sure they work (can we say, Glucowatch).
b) There is probably an issue with waterproofness. Minimed has already gone up in flames over a waterproof issue, and lets face it, if this thing won’t let someone shower or bath, it’s worthless.
c) We already know that the FDA won’t release the first generation with a real time reading. None of the devices that are going through the approval process with a real time reading, only alarms.
On the Glucowatch thing. It works, if you don’t mind your arm being burned and you understand how it works. It can’t be used when you exert yourself, as it takes any prespiration as a low reading. Also, any reading you has at least a 20 minute lag.