FDA Clears New Blood Glucose Test Strips

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved blood glucose test strips (FreeStyle Lite; Abbott Diabetes Care) to help patients better manage their diabetes by minimizing the potential for interference by other sugars.

The glucose-specific test strips use the glucose dehydrogenase with flavin-adenine dinucleotide (GDH-FAD) enzyme, thereby avoiding falsely elevated readings that can result from glucose dehydrogenase pyrroloquinoline quinone (GDH-PQQ)–based methods that can be affected by common nonglucose sugars, such as maltose or galactose.

Compatible with all FreeStyle Lite monitoring systems, the new test strips also feature a proprietary tapered design (ZipWik) intended to ensure quicker blood application and decrease error messages and wastage.

“By minimizing interference and providing a better testing experience, Abbott is delivering on what patients and health care professionals demand in diabetes care, especially for people who use insulin to manage their diabetes,” stated Heather L. Mason, senior vice president, Abbott Diabetes Care, in a company news release.

The test strips previously were approved for use in the European Union and are expected to be widely available in the United States by the end of August 2010.

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Yael Waknine
From Medscape Medical News