System improves management for people with diabetes by offering finger prick-free monitoring
Dexcom – specialists in real-time continuous glucose monitoring for people with diabetes – and NHS England have announced the availability of the Dexcom ONE real-time Continuous Glucose Monitoring (rt-CGM) System on prescription.
The system is available via the NHS England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland drug tariff to everyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes using insulin. This marks the first time a rt-CGM, with no scanning and no finger pricks, will be available to people with diabetes at the pharmacy level.
Karen Baxter, vice president, UK and Ireland at Dexcom, noted: “The addition of Dexcom ONE to the drug tariff is enormous progress towards improving choice of diabetes tech, providing an alternative to burdensome finger pricks and scanning.”
“We are incredibly proud of the diabetes community and are working hard to make it easier for them to access the best technology possible to manage their diabetes. As a next step, we will be working closely with healthcare professionals to ensure the diabetes community can benefit as quickly as possible from reimbursement and wider availability of Dexcom CGM,” she added.
Suitable patients will receive their starter pack – which will include information on the product and usage, a sensor and transmitter – from the hospital or GP surgery once prescribed, after which they can go to the pharmacy for their repeat prescription.
This is latest step for people managing diabetes follows new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which recommends adults with type 1 diabetes should be offered a choice of glucose sensor, children should be offered rt-CGM and people with type 2 diabetes using insulin can be considered for rt-CGM as an alternative to their current sensor.
Dexcom ONE is part of a range of CGM systems offered by Dexcom for people with diabetes in the UK that also includes the Dexcom G6 and the upcoming Dexcom G7. With the new portfolio of products, Dexcom meets the criteria set out by NICE.
National NHS specialty adviser for diabetes, Professor Partha Kar, concluded: “The next step in the evolution of type 1 diabetes technology continues to unfold and at NHS England, we are thrilled to be part of the solution. With Dexcom ONE on prescription, more people will have access to potentially life changing CGM technology, leading to better health outcomes and more choice for people with diabetes.”
