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Glucose testing (non invasive scam products)
- Thread starter HSR
- Start date
Sally71
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Which ones are you referring to? If you mean the “non-invasive” ones such as wrist watches then they are a con and don’t work, such technology does not yet exist. If you’re talking about CGM (e.g. Libre, Dexcom) then they are great most of the time, but can be inaccurate in certain cirucumstances and it’s advised that you still carry finger pricking equipment with you for emergencies.
It’s design is similar to the oxygen and heart rate testing device you put on the end of your finger.
As @Sally71 has mentioned it is not clear which type of glucose monitoring you are referring to.
However, I wanted to pick up on your term "pain free".Please excuse me as I mount my soap box.
I have been finger pricking for more than 20 years and, at times, I have been pricking 10+ ties a day.
Unless you are incredibly sensitive or have set your lancet device to stab too deep, there should be no pain from finger pricking.
The value from things like CGMs (e.g. Libre Continuous Glucose Meters) is to be able to see your BG all the time not just when you prick your finger - you can see what has happened to your BG since the last time you checked.
Unfortunately, manufacturers of alternative blood glucose testing devices, seem to propogate the myth/fear that finger pricking is painful when it isn't.
Sorry, for my rant. I get annoyed when companies lie about alternatives in order to sell their own product.
As for the device you are referring to, these are a con. Spend your money a MultiClix finger pricker which is more gentle than the cheap ones that come with most finger prick meters and are pain-free.
Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Then they don't work. Similarly the smartwatches that claim to measure blood glucose don't. Maybe one day we'll have non-intrusive glucose monitoring but for the moment the best we have are CGMs and a number of very experimental devices which might work out but probably won't and aren't being sold on Facebook.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
A few threads recently on this topic with the warning they don't work and are a con from companies anxious to part you with your money.
I would say don't go there, finger pricking really is not painful when you get your technique right.
I would say don't go there, finger pricking really is not painful when you get your technique right.
Robin
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Don’t order, even if they appear to be endorsed by DUK or the NHS. See this thread for an explanation.
silver minion
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Reports I have read from people who bought them indicate they were sent pulse oximeters dressed up as glucose readers. Total scam. Don't waste your money.
mashedupmatt
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
All absolute rubbish - please ignore this complete scam
Sally71
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Yes, sorry to disappoint you but all such devices are completely fake. It is not currently possible to measure blood sugar levels without piercing the skin. Any readings these devices give out are a complete fabrication. Someone on here tested one once, and it gave out exactly the same readings at the same times every day - so whilst on day 1 the graph might have looked reasonable, after that clearly it wasn’t, nobody has identical blood sugars every day! If you did you wouldn’t need to test them 🙄
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
These are fake @HSR - don’t waste your money - they don’t work.
They are being advertised quite heavily on social media, and several ads are using the Diabetes UK logo without permission (and sometimes the NHS too). People who have fallen from the scam should contact their bank/paypal/credit card company to try to get their money back.
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- In remission from Type 2
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It is actually possible, but the technology isn't good enough yet to make it accurate.
Too many external factors affect the readings - which is done by shining light into the skin (Spectroscopy) and looking at how it is reflected (Or heat, in some cases, I think.). However there's an issue with how far the light can penetrate as well.
There was also a patch years ago (Bath Uni) that measured fluid in hair follicles.
Apple have been working on it for some years as well (Apparently a project called E5).
Non-invasive blood glucose monitoring closer as Apple hits major milestone
Non-invasive continuous blood glucose monitoring is one step closer as Apple have…
www.diabetes.co.uk
There are a number of UK companies/universities looking at how to do glucose monitoring using non-invasive means. Afon Technologies in Wales are hoping to go to market this year, although I think this may be unlikely now, with a smart watch type device that uses microwaves. A spin off from Bath Uni, mentioned by @harbottle are looking at commercialising their patch technology. At this time none of these projects/companies has released a working product for general sale.
Docb
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Don't hold your breath. My opinion is that none of the techniques being looked at are anywhere near close to making something that will work well enough to be used as a 'medical' device. Most of the noise made by those with 'promising' technology seems more to be aimed at raising money for very speculative lab work than anything else.
The time to take notice will be when one of the big boys, Apple or Samsung offer something commercially. They will be the first to spot anything that might work and buy it. They then will put in the development that will be needed to produce something that can be used in the same way that CGM is used at the moment.
One day a tricorder like that used by Spok will be developed. Doubt if I will see it.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I think Apple bought the IP and hired some staff from the defunct C8 Medisensors which had an *almost* functioning Raman Spectroscopy non-invasive sensor so nearly ready about 15 years ago. It was even CE marked. But the company haemorrhaged money in the “last little tweaking stage” (because the results weren’t really good/reliable enough for therapeutic decisions) and the whole bubble burst. Then Apple bought up the IP, but nothing has happened since. Most likely too hard to get to work with any accuracy in an iWatch.
It may well happen at some point, but the devices that are currently fraudulently being sold are not it. They aren’t even BG meters, they are pulse oximeters!
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From what I have read, readings from any effective non-invasive devices are likely to need checking and calibrating by each user with finger prick glucometers. Just like CGMs. Might as well start with a glucometer and see if it's all you really need?
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I do wonder how much of this is due to the strange desire of companies to have calibration-free (i.e. no finger prick testing required) devices. I would gladly do a few finger prick tests every day to calibrate an otherwise non-invasive device.