Survey Shows That Almost Four out of Ten People with Diabetes Are Not Testing As They Should

Survey Shows That Almost Four out of Ten People with Diabetes Are Not Testing As They Should(1)

Roche Diagnostics ACCU-CHEK® Aviva blood glucose testing system addresses their needs and can help them be healthy in the New Year

Testing blood sugar levels is one of the most important things that people with diabetes can do to help manage their disease and live a healthy lifestyle. However, an Omnibus survey of 1,002 adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes indicates that almost 4 out of 10 do not test as often as their doctors recommend. Respondents cited having to reprick (48%) and painful testing (43%) as the most commonly encountered problems while testing blood glucose levels.1

Based on these national survey results, people with diabetes may consider a New Year’s commitment to better managing their diabetes by testing their blood glucose levels more often in order to stay healthy. For example, the ACCU-CHEK Aviva system is a blood glucose management tool that addresses their needs and can help them be healthy in the New Year. It helps alleviate repricking and eases painful testing.

“There is no substitute for blood sugar monitoring. Testing is the best measure by which we can accurately determine the adequacy of our patients’ blood sugar control,” said Dr. Henry Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Director of the Pediatric Diabetes Clinical Program, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children. “Products that can help increase testing frequency by taking away their frustrations are very important. It can help people with diabetes live a healthier lifestyle and greatly enhance their ability to improve management of their diabetes.”

According to the Omnibus survey, respondents listed the top five barriers to testing1:
1. Having to reprick
2. Painful testing
3. Wondering if the test result is really accurate
4. Difficulty drawing a large enough sample of blood
5. Having to retest due to an error message

The ACCU-CHEK Aviva system helps to address each of these needs. A wide mouth on the test strip quickly pulls in the small blood sample (0.6 µL) and is designed to fill the very first time. The test strips are larger and wider than other leading systems, making them easier to handle for patients of all ages.

Another finding from the Omnibus survey was that 95% of respondents indicated they would switch brands if they could find a meter system that would reduce the pain of testing1 (painful testing was listed as the second of the top five barriers to testing). In addition to helping avoid painful repricking due to unsuccessful tests or error messages, the system also includes the ACCU-CHEK Multiclix lancet device, which has a preloaded six-lancet drum, a patented cam-driven design, 11 different depth settings and supports alternate site testing. The ACCU-CHEK Multiclix lancet device has been proven the least painful lancing option2 and eliminates the need for patients to see or handle individual lancets.

“People with diabetes need products that meet their specific needs and ensure confidence,” said Don Dumoulin, Senior Vice President, U.S. Diabetes Care, Roche Diagnostics. “Through our research, we’ve found that the hassle and pain of retesting are barriers to people testing as often as they should. The ACCU-CHEK Aviva system and ACCU-CHEK Multiclix lancet device are solutions to their concerns and help them test right the first time. During this time of year, people often make New Year’s pledges about their health, and this is a great product to help people test as they should.”

The Omnibus national survey also shows that patients have a desire to have integrated solutions that help them collect, analyze and act to help them manage their diabetes more easily, including:
• More than four in ten said they would be much more likely to buy a company’s products if the company offered meters, pumps and other products that work together to help manage diabetes (46%) and if it provided tools that make it easier to share test results with their doctors (45%)1.

• More than half of insulin users (and 62% of those who test four or more times a day) said they would be much more likely to buy a company’s products if the company offered products and services to help them collect relevant information, analyze and act on it all for better self-management of diabetes1.

The ACCU-CHEK Aviva blood glucose system was developed in response to extensive market research in the United States and Europe. As a result, it provides users with features most important to them and helps them test right the first time, allowing them to avoid the pain of retesting. During research, 97% of consumers dosed the ACCU-CHEK Aviva test strip successfully on the first attempt.3 In a consumer study, the ACCU-CHEK Multiclix lancet device was shown to be less painful, easier to use and quicker than the leading competitive lancing systems.2

A total of 1,002 insulin users completed the Omnibus survey July 14–19, 2005. The sample, selected from Synovate’s online Consumer Opinion Panel, was drawn from 3,400 households. Results for the total sample are accurate to within plus or minus 3%.

The ACCU-CHEK brand is a pioneer in the development of blood glucose monitoring systems and a global leader for comprehensive diabetes care. This means offering people with diabetes innovative products and services ranging from blood glucose monitoring through data management to insulin delivery. For 30 years, the ACCU-CHEK brand has been committed to making life easier for people with diabetes and healthcare professionals with innovative products and services which make diabetes management easier, more efficient and cost effective. The ACCU-CHEK family of products encompasses blood glucose meters, lancing and data management systems, such as the ACCU-CHEK Compact, ACCU-CHEK Aviva and ACCU-CHEK Softclix systems (accu-chek.com).

About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division
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 21.7 billion Swiss francs in prescription drug sales, while the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 7.8 billion Swiss francs. 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.

Roche Diagnostics’ North American headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Ind. (www.roche-diagnostics.us) For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.us and www.roche-diagnostics.com

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1 Synovate’s online Consumer Opinion Panel, “Barriers to Blood Glucose Testing”. Data on file.
2 Koubek, R.J., “Glucose Monitoring System Design Reduces Barriers to Testing,” ACCU-CHEK Aviva system and ACCU-CHEK Multiclix lancet device human factors white paper, 2005.
3 ACCU-CHEK Aviva Evaluation Report. Data on file.

ACCU-CHEK, ACCU-CHEK AVIVA, ACCU-CHEK MULTICLIX, ACCU-CHEK COMPACT, SOFTCLIX and ACCU-CHEK COMPASS are trademarks of Roche.

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Lori LeRoy

Roche Diagnostics

Roche

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