The Type 2 Testing Program, available worldwide, provides people with Type 2 Diabetes access to blood glucose testing
I was refused a blood glucose meter and test strips by my GP so I bought one and tested twice daily. At my 6 month review, my doctor was able to reduce the amount of medication I was taking from the results I had shown him.
(PRWEB UK) 13 February 2014
A world-first diabetes management program has been launched by Europe’s leading diabetes website, Diabetes.co.uk (DCUK), which aims to empower people with Type 2 Diabetes to improve their glycaemic control through structured blood glucose testing.
Launched in the UK and available worldwide, the revolutionary Type 2 Testing Program has been created in an effort to give people with non insulin-dependent Type 2 Diabetes access to test strips so that they can self-monitor their condition.
By better understanding how everyday factors such as diet, exercise and illness can affect their blood glucose levels, people with Type 2 Diabetes can achieve better blood glucose control and reduce the risk of diabetes related complications.
Clinical studies have shown that regular structured blood glucose testing, or structured self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), can help people with Type 2 Diabetes who are not treated with insulin to better understand their condition, improve their glucose control and reduce their HbA1c.
Research has shown that people with Type 2 Diabetes who reduce their HbA1c level by 1% are:
- 19% less likely to suffer cataracts
- 16% less likely to suffer heart failure
- 43% less likely to suffer amputation or death due to peripheral vascular disease
Type 2 Diabetes costs the NHS over £11.8 billion, with over £8 billion going towards inpatient care. By testing blood glucose levels and subsequently reducing HbA1c, the burden on the NHS could be significantly reduced.
Despite the evidence, test strips for structured self-monitoring of blood glucose are not routinely available on prescription from the NHS, meaning that people with Type 2 Diabetes who wish to test are often denied access to test strips by their GP.
Whilst test strips are available to buy at a premium from pharmacies and retailers, no support or guidance is offered with these products, so the true health potential of testing may be missed.
The Type 2 Testing Program seeks to resolve this by providing a blood glucose meter, test strips and a blood glucose testing plan, with videos, to educate users on how to structure their blood glucose testing.
Test strips are provided with expert guidance on how and when to test, how to interpret the results and record them effectively in order for their diabetes healthcare team to make better and more informed decisions about their recommended care plan.
Similar to a mobile phone contract, individuals subscribe to receive test strips, delivered to their door, for which they can choose to pay monthly, quarterly or annually. VAT relief is available for people who qualify in the UK. Each user also receives a free GlucoRx blood glucose meter and free lancets.
A survey of 20,000 people with diabetes indicated 41% of people with Type 2 Diabetes are interested in a self-monitoring blood glucose program, reaffirming the requirement for such a program.
It is hoped that feedback from the Type 2 Testing Program will provide substantiated conclusions into the efficacy of self-monitoring blood glucose programs for people with non-insulin dependent Type 2 Diabetes, in order that it could one day be validated for inclusion into future health care policies.
For more information and to join the Type 2 Testing Program, visit Type2Testing.com
About Diabetes
Diabetes.co.uk is Europe's largest diabetes community website, visited by 10 million people annually with 89,688 community members and 138,000 people who receive the weekly newsletter. For press contacts, contact Charlotte Summers at the Press Office on 024 76 712201 or at charlotte(at)diabetes(dot)co.uk.