As a patient with type 2 diabetes, I regularly and carefully inform myself about current methods of blood glucose measurement, especially about developments in the field of non-invasive technologies. In this context, I am increasingly confronted with a flood of online advertisements that are distributed via various channels and supposedly advertise new devices for painless, non-invasive blood glucose measurement at the fingertip. This advertising is not only massively intrusive, but also misleading in terms of content and often placed by dubious providers. The devices are offered at prices of less than 100 euros, with the promise that they do not require any lancets, test strips or other consumables. As someone who is familiar with the technical and physiological challenges of such systems, I was skeptical from the outset. In order to check the seriousness of a specific offer, I nevertheless deliberately decided to make a test purchase following a tip-off from an injured party in order to document the whole thing investigatively.
Of course, I deliberately paid with PayPal so that I could make use of buyer protection if necessary. A payment by credit card would not have been justifiable with such an obviously dubious offer. As was to be expected, I did not receive the advertised measuring device. Instead, I was sent a simple pulse oximeter – a device that also attaches to the fingertip, but only measures oxygen saturation and pulse rate. The product I received not only differs completely from the device on offer in terms of function and purpose, but also visually. It is an extremely inexpensive model that costs less than ten US dollars wholesale. Such an “exchange” does not constitute an error, but objectively fulfills the facts of fraud, as I was supplied with a completely different product that is in no way suitable for measuring blood glucose – neither invasive nor non-invasive.
The advertising gave the impression that it was a new technical product based on non-invasive measurement technology. According to the providers, such systems could measure blood glucose levels by simply touching the skin using infrared light, electromagnetic impulses or so-called biosensory methods. In reality, however, there is as yet no medically approved, practical device that enables reliable and repeatably accurate non-invasive blood glucose measurement on the surface of the skin – on the fingertip, for example. The reason for this is to be found in the physical and biological properties of human tissue.
The GlucoSense device was developed at the University of Leeds under the direction of Professor Gin Jose. It is based on an optical method in which a weak laser is directed through a glass window onto the fingertip. The amount of light absorbed by the glucose in the blood affects the fluorescent coating of the window, allowing conclusions to be drawn about blood glucose levels. The procedure is non-invasive and is said to provide results within 30 seconds. Although the GlucoSense device appears promising, it is still in the development phase and is not commercially available. There is no evidence that it additionally measures blood oxygen or blood pressure. Combining all of these measurements into one non-invasive device is technically extremely challenging and not currently realized
It is important to note that some online vendors sell devices under the name “GlucoSense” or similar names that can supposedly perform non-invasive measurements of blood glucose, blood oxygen and blood pressure. These devices are often available for less than 100 euros and promise functions that are currently not technically feasible. In many cases, these are pulse oximeters that can only measure oxygen saturation and pulse, but not blood glucose levels. Such misleading offers can deceive patients and should be classified as dubious
There are currently no medically approved devices that enable non-invasive, reliable and simultaneous measurement of blood glucose, blood oxygen and blood pressure. Such offers on the Internet should be viewed with extreme caution.
And even if there were something, the glucose concentration in the blood lies within a narrow range and is subject to dynamic fluctuations. In order to obtain therapeutically useful measured values, a high degree of precision is required. However, these values cannot be measured directly through the skin. The scattering of light in the skin, absorbing molecules such as water, lipids, proteins and haemoglobin, as well as the individual variability of skin thickness, moisture and pigmentation make selective detection of glucose considerably more difficult. Even modern spectroscopic methods such as near-infrared or Raman spectroscopy provide signals under idealized laboratory conditions, but these are far from sufficient for reliable application in everyday life. Even large research institutes and medical technology providers have so far only worked on experimental prototypes, which involve considerable technical effort and require individual calibration.
Against this background, it is simply impossible that a device for less than 100 euros contains the necessary sensor technology, signal processing and calibration to deliver medically usable results. The products advertised on the Internet are either based on completely useless pseudo-technologies or – as in my case – serve as a cover for sending out cheap products with no relation to the original function. The damage to patients is considerable: on the one hand, there is a risk that inaccurate or fictitious readings will lead to incorrect therapeutic decisions. On the other hand, bona fide users are financially damaged and disoriented in their personal responsibility for their health.
Reliable, non-invasive blood glucose monitoring therefore remains a medical-technological development goal that has not yet been achieved. All claims to the contrary in corresponding online advertisements are not only misleading, but potentially dangerous. A critical approach to such offers and an informed assessment of the technical basis are essential – especially for chronically ill people who depend on reliable measurement results.
36 Antworten
Kommentar
Lade neue Kommentare
Veteran
1
Veteran
Urgestein
Veteran
1
Neuling
Moderator
Urgestein
Veteran
Veteran
Mitglied
Veteran
Urgestein
Mitglied
Urgestein
Veteran
Mitglied
Mitglied
Alle Kommentare lesen unter igor´sLAB Community →