Abbott launches blood glucose monitoring system

Abbott has announced the launch of its FreeStyle Lite blood glucose monitoring system.

The healthcare solution for diabetes patients uses a novel method of automatic calibration that removes the need for manual coding required by many other similar meters on the market.

Abbott reports that the monitoring system will facilitate a speedier and simpler means of blood glucose testing for sufferers of diabetes, with users able to measure blood glucose in five seconds from a small 0.3 microfilter sample.

The FreeStyle Lite system uses Abbott’s patented coulometric measurement-based technology designed for using a small-sized blood sample, as does the company’s existing FreeStyle blood glucose strips.

Chip Hance, senior vice president of diabetes care operations at the firm, said: “Freestyle Lite, Abbot’s newest blood glucose meter, exemplifies Abbott’s innovative approach to blood glucose testing and our commitment to making diabetes-related technology easier to use for people with diabetes.”

The company adds that, as with its other FreeStyle products, the new system facilitates the use of alternate body parts for blood testing, rather than often sensitive fingertips used by other products.

Also this week, Abbott announced that it had signed a group purchasing agreement for a number of its diagnostic products in the US with the Premier healthcare alliance.