Approximately 55  million people in Europe are living with diabetes and many require insulin to manage their condition. For people who use insulin, managing diabetes can often involve challenging calculations to determine an appropriate mealtime insulin dose. Individuals soemtimes have trouble with the calculations required for insulin dose adjustment, resulting in insulin dose calculation errors.

Abbott today announced that it has received CE Mark (Conformite Europeenne) for its new FreeStyle InsuLinx Blood Glucose Monitoring System which includes a mealtime (bolus) insulin calculator for calculating suggested insulin doses. The new tool has a touch screen interface, automated logbook, personalization preferences and USB connectivity for plug-and-play reports via data management software. The FreeStyle InsuLinx System will be available in
Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom
beginning in May but is currently not available for sale in the United States. 

In a recent study, only 41 percent of people with diabetes could calculate an insulin dose that required adjustment for both carbohydrate intake and blood glucose levels.   The FreeStyle InsuLinx System bolus calculator feature is designed to help patients administer an accurately calculated suggested dose of insulin that can help maintain appropriate blood glucose levels, as recommended by a healthcare professional. 

 "For my patients who require insulin, the steps involved in the self-care of their diabetes can be complicated and overwhelming," said Dr. David Kerr DM FRCPE, Consultant Physician, Bournemouth Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, UK.  "Insulin is a powerful drug that needs to be dosed accurately and carefully or it can lead to significant adverse consequences. The introduction of new products that are created to make the difficult task of insulin dose calculation easier is important for people with diabetes and for their healthcare professionals, like me." 

 The System offers several features that are designed to enable insulin-using diabetes patients to more effectively manage their condition, including: 

-- Mealtime (rapid-acting) insulin calculator for calculating a suggested dose
-- Touch screen designed for ease of use
-- Automated logbook
-- Personalization preferences, including the ability to upload a personal photograph to the FreeStyle InsuLinx monitor, weekly messages and pre- and post-meal markers -- USB connectivity for plug-and-play reports
-- FreeStyle Auto-Assist software, which is PC- and Mac-compatible, designed to help people with diabetes, healthcare teams and caregivers manage diabetes with reports, reminders and messages