Libre approved for use in children
The lovely Lesley Joseph from INPUT was attending ATTD 2016 (Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes) in Milan last week and was excited to share a glimpse of one of the presentations where Abbott announced that they had achieved a license for Libre in children. This was enthusiastically shared on social media along with another of the slides from the conference with some of the details from the study.
Not to be outdone, Abbott themselves made an official announcement soon afterwards. Unsurprisingly choosing overnight testing as a particularly useful time to have a Libre in use. A lot less hassle to wave a reader through the duvet than to have to get a lancet out at 3am and rouse your slumbering child.
This welcome news came pretty hot on the heels of another long-awaited update in the story of the Libre...
No more waiting list
Following the launch of their new high volume production facility in January, Abbott have been able to clear the UK waiting list and the Libre can now be bought by anyone without having to wait. I heard about this a good few weeks back, but was a little cautious to mention it until I could actually see the results (we have been here before remember). However a week or so ago the news on TwitFace and other Social Bloggings was that, yes, the waiting list is no more. Hurrah!
At the same time, I had also heard from Abbott that they were beginning to roll out an official smartphone app that allows people who have a phone with an NFC chip to dispense with the reader and just use their phone to take Libre readings. I can't say much more than that as it has currently only launched in Sweden, but being able to ditch the separate meter certainly appeals to me. There are a couple of 'home spun' Android apps that attempt to do the same, but an official one from Abbott would reassure users that it has had to be put through all of the regulatory rigours of the handset itself. I will watch this one with interest (though I suspect as it stands no iPhone version will be possible because of the way Apple limits access to the iPhone 6's NFC chip).
I have not heard any more information about plans to launch either the Libre itself, or the app in more countries (though I know the UK is next on the list for app launch), but I have been promised a bit of a catch-up with Abbott in the near future and will keep you posted if I hear anything else.
The next big thing?
What would make this perfect for UK readers, of course, would be the announcement that the Libre was to become available on prescription via the NHS. Rumours and grapevine whisperings suggest that this might be tantalisingly close, but as yet remains elusive.
It seems there was much talk at ATTD about CGM (and other continuous monitoring options) and sensor-augmented pump therapy (Smartguard and other Artificial Pancreas dual or triple hormone technologies) so we will all be watching with interest.
If you hear any juicy gossip or rumours, do share them in the comments below.
Thank you very much for your great information. I would like to know if the Libre can be find in the physical pharmacy or only we can buy through online website. Tks, Simone
ReplyDeleteAt present I believe it can only be ordered online and delivered in the countries where it has launched.
DeleteI live in US but have relatives in other countries. Can I purchase the device?
ReplyDeleteHi Lammar, I've seen people discussing this on social media and I can understand the desperation. I think the problems are that purchasing this way means you do not get the support of Abbott if anything goes wrong with a sensor (which does occasionally happen). You also cannot change units on the reader from mmol/L to mg/dl. It does seem that Abbott are working through the FDA regulatory approval process as fast as they can, so you might be better keeping an eye on updates around that and waiting.
DeleteHi Mike, I live in Canada so no issues with mmol/L to mg/dl... Can you tell me if you require a prescription from a doctor for this meter? I have relatives in Europe and would be able to get this shipped here. At least for my son to try until it's available here! Very exciting technology for those of us that can't afford a CGM.
ReplyDeleteHello Anon,
ReplyDeleteNo the Libre is not available on prescription in the UK, it has to be bought directly from Abbott's website - http://www.freestylelibre.co.uk/ - and delivered to a UK address.
I live in the US and just got the libre for my 12 yr old son, who was just recently diagnosed with type 1. We had to have friends in London order the reader and sensor from Abbott and then they had to ship it over to us. Abbott will not ship to any countries where it hasn't been approved yet. We already had a trip to London planned for this summer, so we are planning on picking up enough sensors to last us a year ( I belive you can pick up the sensors at any pharmacy over there). Hoping it will be approved for use here in the US within a year. We have done several comparisons between the sensor readings and finger pricks, and are amazed at how closely they match. We do have to convert from mmol to mg/dl, but this is simply a matter of taking the libre value and multiplying it by 18.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen,
DeleteInteresting to hear your story. Do bear in mind though that Libre sensors can only be purchased online in the UK, you will not be able to buy them at a pharmacy. You are also limited to ordering 10 sensors at a time, so you would need to bear that in mind if trying to pick up 12 months' worth - depending on how often you use them.
Mike, thanks so much for the in depth review. I'm really interested in purchasing this kit and giving it a whirl. After 22 years of finger pricking, this sounds like a dream! I have one small concern, which you may be able to answer. Does the placement of the patch obstruct the site for injections? (I'm not on the pump). I regularly inject in the arms, and would hate to loose that site in the rotation.
ReplyDeleteHi Sean
DeleteThanks for your comment. I've never used arms as an injection site, so I have no direct experience, I guess it would depend on how regularly you used that area during a 14 day period, whether the other arm would be sufficient and how close by you felt comfortable in using the area as an injection site. Instinctively I would want to leave at least an inch around the Libre sensor myself I think. The other option might be to use an alternative site for sensors. While *officially* only the back of the arm is recommended, I have seen others in online support forums using abdomen, thigh and chest areas for Libre sensors with good reliability.
Hope that helps.
hi mike can you tell me if the freestyle libre ,can go through the scanning machine at the airport on my daughters arm ,can I carry extra through in my hand luggage without any problems thanks sara .
DeleteHi Sara
DeleteI have certainly worn a Libre through a standard metal-detector doorframe without any problems at all. I can't entirely remember, but I *think* I also went through one of the new Full Body Scanners (millimetre-wave) in Glasgow Airport earlier this year, and that sensor didn't fail. I always pass my pump around the x-ray machine though and ask for it to be swabbed.
This page on the INPUT website is pretty helpful about devices and travel: http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/airports/