- Expanded use of FreeStyle Libre system allows health care
workers in hospital and professional health care settings to
remotely monitor expectant mothers' glucose status to minimize
exposure to COVID-19
- FreeStyle Libre is the only glucose sensing technology in
Canada to replace the need for
traditional finger pricks for people with and without diabetes,
including pregnant women, in the healthcare setting
MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT)
announced today that Health Canada, under interim order, authorized
the expanded use of the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring
system in hospital and professional health care settings to include
Canadian women who are pregnant.
In April 2020, Abbott received
authorization from Health Canada to allow the FreeStyle Libre
system to be used by frontline health care workers to remotely
monitor the glucose status and glucose history of their patients
without the need for painful finger pricks.1 This
minimized exposure to COVID-19 and preserved the use of personal
protective equipment (PPE) while enabling healthcare providers to
make important treatment decisions, as needed. The expanded
indication gives people with or without diabetes – now including
expectant mothers – and patients receiving medical
intervention/therapy for COVID-19 access to the FreeStyle Libre
system in the hospital or professional health care setting.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a new set of challenges for
pregnant women who are at higher risk of contracting the virus,"
said Nazli Topors, Pharm.D., medical
director of Abbott's diabetes care business in Canada. "The expanded indication for FreeStyle
Libre demonstrates the technology's positive impact on managing
diabetes and the ability for health care workers to support
patients during such an important time in their lives and, at the
same time, limit their COVID-19 exposure while they are in the
hospital."
With a one-second scan using a reader or
smartphone2 over the FreeStyle Libre sensor worn on
the back of the upper arm, users can see current glucose readings,
which are measured every minute, historical trends and patterns,
and arrows showing where glucose levels are going without having to
fingerstick.3
At the same time, physicians will receive glucose data and
actionable information remotely to help make important treatment
decisions through LibreView,4 a secure, cloud-based
diabetes management system available at no cost to healthcare
providers and users. Recent studies showed that users of the
FreeStyle Libre system have improved glucose
control,5 decreased time in
hyperglycemia6 and hypoglycemia7 as
well as reduced hospitalizations8 and
HbA1c9 levels.
About FreeStyle Libre Portfolio
As the #1 sensor-based
glucose monitoring system used in Canada and
worldwide,10 Abbott's FreeStyle Libre portfolio has
changed the lives of nearly 3 million people across more than 50
countries11 by providing breakthrough technology
that is accessible. Abbott has secured partial or full
reimbursement for the FreeStyle Libre system in 36 countries,
including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United
Kingdom and the U.S.
For more information on the FreeStyle Libre system, please visit
myfreestyle.ca.
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 109,000 colleagues
serve people in more than 160 countries.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews.
INDICATIONS AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System Reader
("Reader")/FreeStyle LibreLink app ("App") when used with a
FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System Sensor ("Sensor")
is indicated for measuring interstitial fluid glucose levels in
adults aged 18 years and older (with or without diabetes, including
pregnant women) in all hospital and all professional healthcare
settings including patients receiving medical intervention/therapy
for COVID-19. The Reader/App and Sensor are designed to replace
blood glucose testing in the self-management of diabetes, including
dosing of insulin. Treatment decisions should not be based on real
time Sensor glucose readings alone and instead should consider all
the information on the results screen.
1 A finger prick test using a blood glucose
meter is required during times of rapidly changing glucose levels
when interstitial fluid glucose levels may not accurately reflect
blood glucose levels or if hypoglycemia or impending hypoglycemia
is reported, or the symptoms do not match the system readings.
2 The FreeStyle LibreLink app and the FreeStyle
Libre reader have similar but not identical features. A finger
prick test using a blood glucose meter is required during times of
rapidly changing glucose levels when interstitial fluid glucose
levels may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels or if
hypoglycemia or impending hypoglycemia is reported by the FreeStyle
LibreLink app or when symptoms do not match the app readings. The
FreeStyle Libre sensor communicates with the FreeStyle Libre reader
that started it or the FreeStyle LibreLink app that started it. A
sensor started by the FreeStyle Libre reader will also communicate
with the FreeStyle LibreLink app. The FreeStyle LibreLink app is
only compatible with certain mobile devices and operating systems.
Please check the website for more information about device
compatibility before using the app. Use of FreeStyle LibreLink
requires registration with LibreView.
3 A finger prick test using a blood glucose meter
is required during times of rapidly changing glucose levels when
interstitial fluid glucose levels may not accurately reflect blood
glucose levels or if hypoglycemia or impending hypoglycemia is
reported, or the symptoms do not match the system readings.
4 LibreView is developed, distributed, and
supported by Newyu, Inc. The LibreView data management software is
intended for use by both patients and healthcare professionals to
assist people with diabetes and their healthcare professionals in
the review, analysis and evaluation of historical glucose meter
data to support effective diabetes management. The LibreView
software is not intended to provide treatment decisions or to be
used as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
5 Haak, Thomas, et al. Flash glucose-sensing
technology as a replacement for blood glucose monitoring for the
management of insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: a multicenter,
open-label randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Therapy 8.1
(2017): 55-73r
6 Acute diabetes complications defined by
hypoglycemia, hypoglycemic coma, hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, or
hyperosmolarity ICD-10 codes as primary diagnosis for inpatient or
as any position in the outpatient emergency claim; Matthew Kerr, Gregory
Roberts, Diana Souto,
Yelena Nabutovsky
7 Bolinder, Jan, et al. Novel glucose-sensing
technology and hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes: a multicentre,
non-masked, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet 388.10057
(2016): 2254-2263.
8 Fokkert M, van Dijk P,Edens M, et al. Improved
wellbeing and decreased disease burden after 1-year use of flash
glucose monitoring (FLARENL4). BMJ Open Diab Res Care
2019;7:e000809. doi:10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000809.
9 Improving HbA1c control in people with Type 1 or
Type 2 diabetes using flash glucose monitoring: a retrospective
observational analysis in two German centers; Gerhard Klausmann, Ludger Rose, Alexander
Seibold.
10 Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care. Data based
on the number of users worldwide for the FreeStyle Libre system
compared to the number of users for other leading personal use,
sensor-based glucose monitoring systems.
11 Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care.
SOURCE Abbott