Includes sketch of new meter prototype.
Every diabetic has dreamed of painless, non-invasive blood sugar testing; blood
sugar readings without the need to bleed. Many companies have tried, and the
SugarTrac seems to be near FDA approval. The
SugarTrac, by LifeTrac, of Fort Myers, Florida, uses a sensor clipped to the
earlobe, and a beam of light through the lobe, measuring the glucose in capillary
blood present in the earlobe. No flesh is pierced, and no chemicals are placed
on the skin.
In FDA Phase III clinicals, the device appeared acceptably accurate: 88 percent of standard (80 percent is required minimum accuracy), and the prototype has held up well in a hospital environment.
Top managers at LifeTrac expect FDA approval some time late this year, after which LifeTrac intends to immediately begin distribution. Big news: LifeTrac intends to include speech capability in this meter. A company representative said the speech chip had already been chosen, and would be present in version 2 of the SugarTrac -- which would appear three to six months after the initial production. This machine will talk, they promise.
Is it available now? Not yet. They're shooting for January 2004. What will it cost? Approximately $250. Will it require daily finger-stick tests for calibration, as does the Glucowatch? The SugarTrac will require only one finger stick per month! Are there extra expenses, like test strips or sensitized pads? Only the ear clip (est. price $35 to $50), which will need replacing every three months. For more information, contact: LifeTrac, 12751 Westlinks Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33913; telephone (marketing/distribution): 1-877-768-6978; Web site: www.sugartrac.net