HealthWorks Announces New Technology For The Management Of Diabetes And Poly Arthritis

HealthWorks announces a new technology diabetes and rheumatoid poly arthritis. Medifridge – a portable refrigerator for insulin and heat-sensitive drugs - is available in Europe.

Paris, France — January 21, 2010 — HealthWorks announced today that the European version of Medifridge, a new portable refrigerator allowing a better conservation of heat-sensitive medications, is now available in Europe.

Less travel constraints for people with diabetes or poly arthritis

The “smallest refrigerator in the world” is designed for insulin and any other medication that needs to be maintained at a fresh and constant temperature. It allows those suffering from chronic diseases to transport their medication in perfect safety during their travels, at work and on holiday. Winner of the Concours Lepine in France, the original Medifridge is sold in the United States since 2005.

The Medifridge was developed in France by two well-known brothers in the medical industry, Dr. Olaf and Uwe DIEGEL, following an incident where Dr. Diegel’s insulin was compromised during the heat wave of 2003. If insulin is exposed to extreme temperatures, it is damaged and very quickly loses its effectiveness. The perfect temperature of storage for insulin is between 2°C and 8°C. Insulin should never be frozen. These factors handicap diabetics in their travels and daily lifestyle.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Medifridge for sale in the USA in 2005. The Medifridge was modified for the European market because a large majority of users of heat-sensitive drugs in Europe use pre-filled pens, while users in the United States tend to use bottles of 10 ml. The Medifridge is recommended for insulin, vaccines, adrenalin, interferons, procreation agents, coagulation agents, growth hormones and monoclonal antibodies (TNF/Anti-TNF).

The new European version of Medifridge fits the majority of the pre-filled pens available in Europe for these medications. The refrigerator is light and portable. It is also delivered with an adapter allowing its permanent use in the car.

The Medifridge uses thermoelectric technology to manage the temperature in the fridge. This technology is based on a principle called the Peltier Effect, which draws heat electronically. A presetting of the temperature prevents the unit from cooling below 2°C and thus avoids freezing the drugs.

A state-of-the-art technology that follows international recommendations

Applications for the Medifridge technology are numerous and HealthWorks is already developing new versions for other drugs such as anti venoms and the transport of blood samples; “The Medifridge technology makes it possible to simplify the management of all the chronic diseases that use drugs sensitive to heat”, explains Uwe DIEGEL, president de HealthWorks. “Today’s health management is more about managing patients than diseases because any person who suffers from a chronic disease is defined by her daily lifestyle. But for this, we must provide patients with the correct tools that will gives them the freedom to take responsibility for themselves. The Medifridge does just that and gives them the liberty to embrace a new lifestyle that includes travel and movement.”

The Medifridge will be on sale on the site http://www.medactiv.com from January 15, 2010.

About HealthWorks

HealthWorks is a group of companies that work together to develop medical solutions based on the concept of HCD (Human Centered Development), where a product is developed with the end-user in mind so that he can intuitively use the product. HealthWorks products are developed as much by members of the public as by engineers and doctors. For more information, visit http://www.healthworksglobal.com.

About diabetes

Diabetes is a widespread chronic disease characterized by the insufficient production of insulin, a hormone necessary to transform glucose (sugar) into energy. More than 230 million people suffer from diabetes in the world, a figure that should cross the worldwide threshold of 350 million sufferers in 20 years.

Contact Information

Uwe DIEGEL

HealthWorks France

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