[Diabetes-talk] smart lancet

[Mike Freeman]

You are correct that the money is to be made from test strips, at least in
the current marketing model. But there's no foundation to the usual
assertions of conspiracy theorists who say that Big Pharma is either
suppressing or not developing X (pick your medical technology of choice)
because they'd make less money with X. Be assured that Big Pharma wouldn't
go out of business for lack of test strip or lancet sales.

The real problem is that accurately measuring blood glucose in blood or
intersticial flouid via infrared spectroscopy or reflection of light by or
shining of light through intersticial fluid (note that this is *not* a
measurement using blood) is proving much more problematic than was
originally forecast. The most plausible methodI ever heard of  was that an M
I T physicist claims he has come up with an algorithm -- a mathematical
calculation -- that supposedly accurately *predicts* blood glucose from the
reflectivity of intersticial fluid. Note that this is not a *measurement*
but a best-guess prediction. Really now, would *you* be satisfied with a
mathematical prediction or don't you want a real, measured value? I know
what my answer is.

As I say, it's pretty easy to gauge oxygen percentage because oxygen is
highly reactive and there's plenty of it in the blood else you wouldn't be
reading this. Also, you're dealing with a single element. Contrast this with
trying to ascertain the amount of a complex molecule -- glucose -- in your
blood; this is something that requires chemical analysis, not just a
measurement.

In fact, to date, all these "promising" stickless measuring devices have
been Vaporware or, alternatively, have been far better at bamboozling
hopeful diabetics and parting potential investors from their free cash than
they have been actually producing a working device that's sufficiently
accurate to gain FDA 510(k) approval.

Mike Freeman


-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Marshall Scott
Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2013 1:51 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] smart lancet

What would be really nice would be a method that didn't require a lancet at
all.  After all,, they measure blood oxygen levels without any blood;
couldn't they use something similar for blood glucose?  I've heard rumors of
such a thing but my medical people don't know anything about it.
I also thin, in addition to the technical problems,that the people who make
blood glucose meters have a financial incentive not to develop such a thing.
I suspect that they make most of their money off of selling lancets, test
strips and control solution.
Marshall

On May 19, 2013, at 4:59 AM, Jude DaShiell <jdashiel at shellworld.net> wrote:

> Remember I wrote earlier on this list about the need for a lancet that 
> wouldn't punch dry holes?  Well as it turns out, I've been talking with an

> inventor of dental and medical devices who has patents already in his 
> name.  He says it is entirely feasible to make a lancet like this.  He 
> needs to know if something like this were made, what would the market be 
> for such a lancet across the diabetic community.  I met him accidentally, 
> turns out he works for the Dentist I now am with.
> 
> 
> 
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> jude <jdashiel at shellworld.net> About to block another web browser version?

> Ask yourself what Tim Berners-lee would do.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Diabetes-talk mailing list
> Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-talk:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/mfscott%40me.com


_______________________________________________
Diabetes-talk mailing list
Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix.com