by Ed Bryant
As I have reported in previous issues of Voice of the Diabetic, the SugarTrac is a new, non-invasive, talking glucose monitor currently in clinical trials. According to Richard Peters of LifeTrac Systems, the creator of SugarTrac, this innovative meter is small—about the size of a cell phone. A small clip fastens to the earlobe; a tiny wire connects to the meter. No skin is pricked; no blood is drawn. Instead, the clip shines a near-infra-red (NIR) light into the earlobe and analyzes the reflected light to determine a glucose level. According to Peters, the clip is re-usable; there are no test strips or lancets to buy. Peters says SugarTrac will be accessible to blind users by using audio output—that is, SugarTrac talks (the meter’s voice can be switched off as needed). Peters anticipates the meter will be inexpensive, costing no more than $100 for the machine, with an additional quarterly “recoding” expense of less than $50, for the earclip.
The SugarTrac has been much anticipated, and earlier reports looked promising. The SugarTrac has undergone successful clinical trials at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Cambridge, MA., a Harvard University teaching hospital. The Harvard trial found the SugarTrac to be 88 percent accurate; the FDA requires an accuracy of 80 percent for approval.
Since the Harvard study, however, the SugarTrac has suffered delays. We have previously reported about manufacturing difficulties encountered by LifeTrac. According to Peters, the company has experienced additional delays due to a business dispute, rather than any technical difficulties with the meter itself.
Peters tells me he is now negotiating with a major pharmaceutical company to bring the SugarTrac to market. The next step is FDA approval.
The SugarTrac is not yet approved or available to consumers. Hopefully, FDA approval will come soon.
I am extremely interested in this non-invasive meter, and I am in regular contact with Mr. Peters. He has promised me I’ll be the first on his list to be told when it is approved—and that news will appear in Voice of the Diabetic. Current SugarTrac information may be obtained at www.sugartrac.com or by writing: Sugartrac, PO Box 1573, Osprey, FL 34229.