People living with diabetes in Europe now have the choice to be alerted in real-time of hypoglycaemia (low glucose levels) or hyperglycaemia (high glucose levels) through the FreeStyle Libre 2 system, a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM).
In a press release, Abbott has announced that it has secured CE Mark (Conformité Européenne) for its FreeStyle Libre 2 system—the next generation of FreeStyle Libre. The original Libre replaced self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) without the use of finger sticks. This new release, the Libre 2, now offers optional glucose alarms for patients who need or want them.
“The FreeStyle Libre 2 system is designed to further empower people with diabetes by providing a choice about how they want to use alarms, which can be a valuable feature for a specific group of people managing their diabetes,” says Jared Watkin, senior vice president, Diabetes Care, Abbott. “We′re committed to developing the latest health technology to help people lead fuller lives. Our goal is to make FreeStyle Libre widely accessible, which includes offering additional features at no additional cost to customers.”
How It Works: Alarm. Scan. Act. Utilizing Bluetooth technology, the FreeStyle Libre 2 system provides an easy-to-use alarm experience by offering optional, customizable alarms for low glucose and high glucose. Another technical feature notifies the user of signal loss (e.g., when the sensor is not communicating with the reader). In the event of these instances, the system will alert the user through sound or vibration (based on the user′s personal preference). The user continues to be able to scan their FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor as often as desired to see their glucose reading, trends and patterns, and eight-hour history.
The FreeStyle Libre 2, with optional alarms, will initially launch in Germany. The aim is to make the system available to other countries in Europe, and elsewhere, going forward. However there is no current date set for FreeStyle Libre 2 to launch in the UK and Ireland. Watch this space, we will update this information as more news becomes available.
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