Abbott issued the following announcement on April 8.
-- More than 50% of people with diabetes who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are hospitalized, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)¹
-- FreeStyle Libre 14 day system can be used by frontline healthcare workers in hospitals to remotely monitor patients with diabetes who can scan² to minimize exposure to COVID-19 and preserve use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
-- In partnership with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), Abbott will donate 25,000 FreeStyle Libre 14 day sensors to U.S. hospitals and medical centers in outbreak hotspots to help accelerate access to technology
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that the FreeStyle Libre 14 day system, the world's leading3 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology, can now be used in the hospital setting2 during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This will permit frontline healthcare workers to remotely monitor patients with diabetes receiving inpatient care by assessing real-time glucose levels4 and glucose history. To help hospitals and medical centers in COVID-19 outbreak hotspots ramp up access to the technology, Abbott will donate 25,000 FreeStyle Libre 14 day sensors in partnership with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), Insulin for Life USA and Diabetes Disaster Response Coalition.
According to a recent report1 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 50% of people with diabetes who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are hospitalized.
"There's been a spike in demand for health technology as hospitals are looking for ways to minimize COVID-19 exposure, especially to high-risk patients such as people with chronic conditions like diabetes," said Eugene E. Wright, Jr., M.D., medical director for performance improvement, Charlotte Area Health Education Center in North Carolina. "Having access to technology like FreeStyle Libre 14 day system allows physicians to keep a close eye on hospitalized patients while minimizing transmission risks, PPE use and contact with hospital staff."
With a one-second scan using a reader or smartphone5 over the FreeStyle Libre 14 day sensor worn on the back of the upper arm, users get real-time glucose readings every minute, historical trends and patterns, and arrows showing where glucose levels are going without having to fingerstick6. At the same time, physicians will receive real-time glucose data and actionable information to help make important treatment decisions through LibreView7, a secure, cloud-based diabetes management system. Recent studies showed that users of the FreeStyle Libre 14 day system have improved glucose control8, decreased time in hyperglycemia9 and hypoglycemia10 as well as reduced hospitalizations11, and HbA1C12 levels.
"We appreciate the FDA's quick action to make medical products available during this public health crisis," said Jared Watkin, senior vice president, Diabetes Care, Abbott. "By working with our partners at the American Diabetes Association to arm frontline healthcare workers with FreeStyle Libre technology, Abbott will enable them to protect and monitor their patients with diabetes, limit COVID-19 exposure and also manage the influx of critical care needs."
For more information about using FreeStyle Libre 14 day system in the hospital, please contact 1-800-401-1183.
About FreeStyle Libre Portfolio
As the #1 sensor-based glucose monitoring system used worldwide3, Abbott's FreeStyle Libre portfolio has changed the lives of more than 2 million people across 46 countries13 by providing breakthrough technology that is accessible and affordable14. It is priced at one-third14 of other continuous glucose monitoring systems available today. Abbott has also secured partial or full reimbursement for the FreeStyle Libre system in 36 countries, including Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. For more information, please visit www.freestylelibre.us.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 107,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Original source can be found here.
