Diabetes Australia has secured a commitment from the Federal Government to provide access to subsidised continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and Flash GM technology for people with type 1 diabetes.
The subsidy will mean patients will pay around AU$400 a year, instead of the previous $4,000, to access the technology that prevents and reduces low blood glucose levels, helping people better manage their diabetes, reduce the risk of vision loss, and ease the cost-of-living burden.
Access to diabetes technology is also smart policy that invests in the long-term sustainability of our health system by helping to reduce the number of people who develop debilitating and costly diabetes-related complications
“Diabetes Australia and leading diabetes groups have been advocating for access to CGM and Flash GM technology for people with type 1 diabetes for more than a decade and today represents the culmination of that effort,” said Justine Cain, Diabetes Australia Group CEO.
“Access to diabetes technology is also smart policy that invests in the long-term sustainability of our health system by helping to reduce the number of people who develop debilitating and costly diabetes-related complications.”
CGM and Flash GM are small wearable devices that monitor glucose levels automatically, providing readings every few minutes. People with diabetes can see their glucose levels using apps on their smartphones. These devices reduce the need for finger-prick checks and give more information to people with diabetes and their healthcare team about glucose trends and how much time they are spending within their target glucose range.
“Living with type 1 diabetes can be complex and time consuming. The 130,000 Australians living with the condition undertake a range of daily tasks to stay healthy including checking blood glucose levels with a finger prick check up to six times a day,” said Mike Wilson OAM, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) CEO.
“That’s more than 2,000 finger prick checks a year. For a person who has lived with type 1 diabetes for more than 20 years that’s almost 50,000 finger prick checks. CGM technology drastically reduces the number of fingers pricks required which means that people with diabetes can get on with living their lives.”
