'Accu-Chek Go' glucose meter and 'Accu-Chek' insulin pumps enable people with diabetes to live life the way they want - with confidence and safety
Dubai:Roche Diagnostics, a global leader in the diagnostic industry and pioneer of first of its kind innovations in diabetes care, is introducing two new products in the Middle East that will set new standards in flexibility, reliability and ease of use for people living with diabetes; Accu-Chek Go glucose meter and Accu-Chek insulin pumps.
Commenting on the launch of the products at the Arab Health 2005's 1st International Conference of the Gulf Group for the Study of Diabetes (GGSD), Ulrich Schweppe, Manager of the Pump-business for the International Agencies, Roche Diagnostics said; "Governments across the GCC are already working hard in their attempts to help people avoid developing diabetes through awareness campaigns to reduce the number of people at risk; estimated at approximately 48% of the total population. In addition they are striving to reduce the risk of diabetes-related late complications such as blindness, kidney failure and heart attacks."
In simple terms, diabetes means that the blood glucose (often called blood sugar) levels are too high. It can occur in people at any age and often goes for long periods undetected. The three main kinds are Type I diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, usually first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults. The second is Type II diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes or non insulin-dependent diabetes, and is the most common form of diabetes in the Middle East. People can develop type 2 diabetes at any age--even during childhood. The final form, Type III, sometimes develops among women as gestational diabetes during the late stages of pregnancy.
At present there is no known cure for diabetes and as such it is integral the lives of those living with it are as normal as possible; through programmes and product innovations that support the work already being done by GCC governments in awareness. Through a combination of blood glucose monitoring, insulin delivery and software technologies, the Middle East requires innovative solutions to increase the quality of life of those living with diabetes.
With an average of 17% of Arabs suffering from diabetes in the Middle East, this need is keenly echoed by UAE-based diabetes patient Nadine Mohammed Abdelhafez; "After being diagnosed with diabetes two years ago, I realized the real need and role for innovative products that helped me control and monitor my blood glucose levels to make life simple. With the latest technology on offer from brands like Roche, I have been able to quickly come to terms with diabetes and improve my overall health and well being. Products like those in the Accu-Chek range lift standards even higher and give people who live with diabetes like me, access to some of the best technology in the world."
With more than 30 years experience in diabetes monitoring and 20 years in insulin pump therapy, Accu-Chek is a pioneer in their field and recognizable worldwide for diabetes care and management that gives people with diabetes the tools and information to live life the way they want.
"Our broad range of Accu-Chek products and services reflects Roche's recognition of consumers' needs above all else, and the increasing necessity for diabetes self-management. The introduction of these two leading products is the next step in our ongoing commitment to the Middle East in terms of increasing awareness and education about the disease and providing diabetics with highest quality and innovative solutions in diabetes care." added Schweppe.
Reliable, Safe and Easy to Use Product Innovations
Accu-Chek Go is a user-friendly glucose meter that offers accurate and improved solutions for people with diabetes in their daily testing. Anas Al Khouli, Senior Account Executive, Roche Diagnostics for Bahrain, Dubai and Qatar said; "Accurate self monitoring of blood glucose is one of the main factors to reduce the risk of developing diabetes-related late complications. With consistent testing of blood sugar, people with diabetes are always informed and can react proactively, enabling them to live their life the way they want."
The intention of self blood glucose monitoring is to allow greater control and effective maintenance of blood glucose, not as a diagnostic tool to identify diabetes. "Accu-Chek Go will very soon be available for people with diabetes in all pharmacies across the GCC. The product will continue Roche's commitment to maintaining high standards of accuracy so that each and every user of Accu-Chek products is provided with the best, actionable information possible." continued Al Khouli.
With more options than any other product in the market, Accu-Chek Go incorporates the out-of-meter dosage where the test strips have capillary fill. The strip is inserted into the meter, and then a very small blood sample is drawn into the meter via the capillary fill strip. In five seconds the blood glucose test is complete, and the user can then very conveniently dispose the used test strip using the test strip ejector, without having to touch the used strip anymore - ensuring greater safety and hygiene.
The system's key benefits are:
- Fast and reliable - accurate results in only five seconds
- Tiny blood sample - 1.5 micro litres; Alternative Site Testing (AST) option
- Safe - built-in under dosing detection; automatic test strip expiry warning
- Hygienic - Out of meter dosing; capillary action test strips for drawing blood; strip ejector eliminates handling of used strips
- Customizable - alarm clock function with three individually programmable alarm times; flagging of AST results possible; optional hypo threshold warning
Soon to be launched in the Middle East, the Accu-Chek Spirit is an insulin pump with a battery-operated microcomputer, that allows diabetics to lead a more flexible life. About the size of pager, the pump is designed to automatically deliver measurable amounts of fast-acting insulin every three minutes. All the incorporated technology offers more independence and flexibility in daily life and improved metabolic control. Accu-Chek Spirit is the first insulin pump with three different operating menus. This innovative function provides the option to programme the insulin pump according to the people's level of experience and individual requirements.
The key benefits of the product are:
- With four bolus options to choose from, there is the right bolus option for each moment
- The possibility to deliver small amounts of insulin, improves results especially in the therapy of children who need only small dosages
- Accu-Chek Spirit offers five basal rate profiles for an optimum coverage of physiological needs. These profiles give more flexibility to match different daily routines such as shift work, weekends, or international travel
- For doctors and patients safety is of greatest importance in insulin pump therapy. Accu-Chek Spirit offers various features to make therapy convenient and secure. The dual microprocessor concept makes more than nine million safety checks a day to ensure that the insulin pump is running safely and effectively
Roche Diagnostics has incorporated the area of insulin delivery from Disetronic Medical Systems, the world's second-largest maker of insulin pumps, in order to make the lives of people with diabetes simpler and safer. The product portfolio now ranges from blood sugar analysis systems and self-monitoring (such as Accu-Chek Go) to treatment with programmable insulin pumps. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Roche Diagnostics is cooperating with Erfan to support a professional distribution of pump-related products and ensure a high-level provision of support to patients and health-care professionals.
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About Roche:
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-intensive healthcare groups. Its core businesses are pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is a world leader in Diagnostics, the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in virology. In 2004, the Pharmaceuticals Division generated US$17 billion in prescription drug sales, while the Diagnostics Division posted sales of US$6 billion. Roche employs roughly 65,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche's Diagnostics Division, with a uniquely broad product portfolio, supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide. For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.com, www.roche-diagnostics.com, www.accu-chek.com, and www.disetronic.com.
Accu-Chek, the brand from Roche Diagnostics, is a pioneer in the development of blood glucose monitoring systems and a global leader for comprehensive diabetes care. The Accu-Chek family encompasses blood glucose meters, infusion pumps, lancing and data management systems, such as the Accu-Chek Go, Accu-Chek Spirit, Accu-Chek Compact, Accu-Chek Advantage and Accu-Chek Softclix. For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.com, www.roche-diagnostics.com, www.accu-chek.com, and www.disetronic.com.
For further information, please contact:
Pooja Chaudhary
Bates PanGulf PR
Tel: 04-2953456
Fax: 04-2951027
E-mail:pooja@batespangulf.com
Anas Al Khouli
Roche Diagnostics
Tel: 04-2694361
E-mail: anas.alkhouli@rochediagf.ae
© Press Release 2005
