[Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Sat Apr 3 05:36:15 UTC 2010 

Yes, we did endorse the meter; it was the only fully-accessible meter on the 
market at the time. Moreover, it was my understanding, at least, that 
further accessibility work would be done, e.g., making the software 
accessible and I and some DDI engineers did talk a couple of years ago about 
desirable improvements. DDI did make some improvements although not the ones 
I suggested. That's their choice.

My point was that by endorsing one meter, we weren't making a judgment for 
all time nor were we saying that other meters might not come on the market 
that would merit our endorsement.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 10:20 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor


> Well the NFB did endorse the PV in fact we have the A+ rating on it, you 
> mean to say that when myself and others did it, that we were wrong for 
> endorsing it, and the NFB had DDI come to the convention and give them our 
> good deed on it, especially since they were a sponsor at the convention. 
> Isn't that being a little hypercritical.
>
> Or are you just saying the Ed Bryant and Ms. Williams who were president 
> and v.p. not do there jobs right.
>
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Independent Travel Consultant
> http://Echevarriatravel.com
> 1-866-580-5574
>
> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
> CST-1018299-10
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 10:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>
>
>> Eileen:
>>
>> Mild question: why is it that everyone immediately thinks that because 
>> NFB
>> may endorse equipment, it's either (a) getting special publicity and/or 
>> (b)
>> is getting money out of it? In other words, why is NFB (and not ACB)
>> automatically imputed to be doing everything for nefarious purposes or 
>> with
>> nefarious motives? End of query.
>>
>> I assure you that NFB does not endorse or recommend a product because of 
>> any
>> special arrangements. In fact, if Chris Gray of ACB and his Bay Area 
>> Digital
>> Company actually come out with a bg meter system that works well, DAN and 
>> I
>> will recommend it. And if the Solo system works out well, I will 
>> recommend
>> it also.
>>
>> In fact, as some on this forum can atest, I am not totally satisfied with
>> *any* meter (for the sighted or the blind) at present. It seems to me 
>> that
>> manufacturers can and ought to do far better with both consistency
>> (precision) and accuracy than they do today and apparently the FDA is
>> beginning to think likewise.
>>
>> You will note that NFB has not taken a position with respect to JAWS, 
>> Window
>> Eyes, SuperNova, NVDA, System Access or any other screen-reader. Why?
>> Because we think that competition is good for us and given our small 
>> market
>> size, there's precious little of it.
>>
>> That being said, however, I believe that NFB/DAN would be remiss in not
>> recommending a meter if it worked and was accessible. Until recently, at
>> least, the PV was the only truly accessible meter that had its 510(k)
>> certification and was on the market. I wish the SensoCard Plus from the 
>> UK
>> were 510(k) approved over here as there were some features of it I liked.
>> But it is not so we work with what we have.
>>
>> AS for the problem with your previous meter, I suspect that somewhere
>> between your meter getting sent back and it being tested, the linkage
>> between you and it got lost so I wouldn't hold your breath insofar as
>> learning what might have been wrong. Frankly, it has been my experience 
>> that
>> absolutely *every* meter goes flaky after about two years and some a lot
>> sooner than that. In fact, meter accuracy may be one of those things like
>> Plato's Perfect Forms -- it exists in the mind but may not exist in fact 
>> in
>> that. to some extent, how accurate a meter is depends on how uniform 
>> strips
>> are, i.e., how much differing batches of strips are one from another and 
>> how
>> closely coding of strips matches the actual chemistry of strips --  
>> something
>> we don't have a lot of control over.
>>
>> There is a way to test your meter against what your local lab gets for a 
>> bg
>> reading but even that depends upon the particular batch of strips and 
>> might
>> be different for a different bunch.
>>
>> This last applies to both sighted and blind diabetics, of course.
>>
>> WE do the best we can.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "eileen scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
>> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 6:54 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>>
>>
>> > Cheryl:
>> >
>> > You are totally correct!  We, each and every one of us, would be big
>> > horses hineys if we do not want to see a competitive market for these
>> > talking meters for the blind.  If the NFB as an organization wants to 
>> > put
>> > their stamp of approval on only the Prodigy Voice only because they get
>> > the organizations name given high publicity and acolaids I have a 
>> > problem
>> > with that -- big time.  A meter should only be given high praise, not 
>> > only
>> > because it talks (essential for the blind) but is a quality product, 
>> > easy
>> > to use, accurate and helps us with our primary concern, controling and
>> > managing our diabetes.  The Solo Meter is new, but the Jury is not back 
>> > on
>> > it.  It might prove to be as good or even better as the Prodigy.  It is
>> > important that both companies keep making improvements and stiving for 
>> > a
>> > more accurate, accessible talking glucose meter.
>> >
>> > The ear phone jack is not a big selling point for me, I could do 
>> > without
>> > it and in fact could count on one hand the number of times I have used 
>> > a
>> > head phone jack while testing.
>> >
>> > I am currently using the PV and think it's okay, but see room for
>> > improvement.  I am still questioning its accuracy whenever I test with 
>> > it.
>> > I was recently shipped a new meter by the company.  While the numbers I
>> > see have changed with the upgraded meter, I still think they are not
>> > accurate and the variations I get from test to test are to wide and 
>> > have
>> > me altering insulin dosages.  I have still not heard back from the 
>> > company
>> > on what the problem with the old meter was ... was it me, was it the
>> > strips, or was it the meter itself?  I got no feed back and would very
>> > much like to know what the problem was.
>> > I shipped the older meter back to them in December and was told they 
>> > would
>> > run some tests on it to see what the problem might have been.
>> >
>> > I am interested in the new Solo meter, but have a small fortune worth 
>> > of
>> > PV test strips that I'm not about to just toss in the trash.  All these
>> > strips are expensive either with or without insurance!
>> >
>> > Eileen
>> > ----- Original Message ----- 
>> > From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
>> > To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> > Cc: "Tina" <trockwell at advanceddiabeticsolutions.net>
>> > Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 9:16 AM
>> > Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>> >
>> >
>> >> Eileen I totally agree, we shouldn't poo poo at these things companies
>> >> are listening and now there is a second one, they want to work with 
>> >> us.
>> >> So we need to work with ADS and either let them know Vincent Chaney or
>> >> myself and of course Tina and Jordan are on this list, they want this 
>> >> to
>> >> work so they can get it out to us. Solo Meter wants this to work. so 
>> >> try
>> >> let them know you want to try it maybe you can get it for free and see
>> >> how it works.
>> >>
>> >> Competition is great.  I like many things about the new solo meter, I
>> >> don't use a ear piece, because my ears are to sensitive so I just 
>> >> lower
>> >> it to where I can hear it.  But some like the ear piece.  So let them
>> >> know.
>> >>
>> >> They can redesign it.
>> >>
>> >> Cheryl Echevarria
>> >> Independent Travel Consultant
>> >> http://Echevarriatravel.com<http://echevarriatravel.com/>
>> >> 1-866-580-5574
>> >>
>> >> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com<http://blog.echevarriatravel.com/>
>> >> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:Reservations at echevarriatravel.com>
>> >> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
>> >> CST-1018299-10
>> >>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>> >>  From: eileen scrivani<mailto:etscrivani at verizon.net>
>> >>  To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind<mailto:diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> >>  Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 9:02 AM
>> >>  Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>  Since the Prodigy Voice has been the ** ONLY ** fully talking meter 
>> >> on
>> >> the
>> >>  market, what else was there for a totally blind diabetic to use?
>> >> Process of
>> >>  elimination alone, of course, would place it as the best by blind
>> >> diabetics
>> >>  because we had no other choice in the matter!  That is until the 
>> >> release
>> >> of
>> >>  this very new meter just announced!  I think it's a disgrace that we 
>> >> do
>> >> not
>> >>  have available to us the same selection of choices in glucose meters 
>> >> as
>> >>  sighted diabetics.  We should all be very happy about the new
>> >> announcement
>> >>  and hope there would be more coming onto the market down the road.
>> >>
>> >>  Eileen
>> >>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>> >>  From: "Albert Sanchez"
>> >> <albertsanchez at suddenlink.net<mailto:albertsanchez at suddenlink.net>>
>> >>  To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind"
>> >> <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org<mailto:diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>>
>> >>  Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 2:43 AM
>> >>  Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>  > Hey! Patty!
>> >>  > The Prodigy Voice is considered by many to be the most usable
>> >> glucometer
>> >>  > for blind folks, I use mine daily.
>> >>  > Albert Sanchez
>> >>  > Al's Piano Tuning & Repair
>> >>  > 215 John Avenue
>> >>  > Greenville, NC 27858-4113
>> >>  > 252-757-3023
>> >>  > ----- Original Message ----- 
>> >>  > From: "Patty Droppers"
>> >> <patty at thedroppers.com<mailto:patty at thedroppers.com>>
>> >>  > To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'"
>> >> <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org<mailto:diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>>
>> >>  > Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 8:57 PM
>> >>  > Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>> >>  >
>> >>  >
>> >>  >> This afternoon I received the news that I was "borderline" 
>> >> diabetic.
>> >> My
>> >>  >> primary care physician wants me to sign up for diabetes education
>> >> classes
>> >>  >> at
>> >>  >> my local hospital in Arlington, VA, and he wants me to regularly
>> >> monitor
>> >>  >> my
>> >>  >> blood sugar for the next three months when they'll test my blood
>> >> again.
>> >>  >> Is
>> >>  >> Prodigy really as good as it seems? Or are there other and better
>> >> talking
>> >>  >> glucose monitors available? I used to be better informed than I am
>> >>  >> currently. I look forward to receiving accurate information and
>> >> support
>> >>  >> from
>> >>  >> this list. Thanks in advance.
>> >>  >>
>> >>  >> _______________________________________________
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>> >>  >>
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>> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/albertsanchez%40suddenlink.net<http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/albertsanchez%40suddenlink.net>
>> >>  >
>> >>  >
>> >>  > _______________________________________________
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>> >>  >
>> >>
>> >>
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>> >
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