Does anyone remember the band The Fixx?
I was (and still am) a big fan. For those that don’t know, The Fixx is a British new wave and rock band that originated in London in 1979. College friends Cy Curnin (vocals) and Adam Woods (drums) founded the group, first naming themselves Portraits before adding guitarist Jamie West-Oram, keyboardist Rupert Greenall, and bassist Charlie Barrett. They soon adopted the name The Fixx, securing a deal with MCA Records and releasing their debut album, Shuttered Room, in 1982.
If this isn’t enough to jar your memory, some of their most popular songs include: "One Thing Leads to Another," "Saved by Zero," "Are We ," "Secret Separation," "Red Skies," and "Stand or Fall".
The Fixx became known for their introspective lyrics and sharp social commentary. For example, their song “How Much is Enough”, released in 1991 is a critique of materialism and human greed.
This song came to mind the other day as I was watching television and a commercial came on advertising the availability of an OTC continuous glucose monitor (CGM).
We have all witnessed the burgeoning popularity for wearable health monitors. Devices like the Apple Watch; Samsung Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring, various Fitbit like devices, and rings like the Oura. All of these are designed to measure, monitor, and provide insights into things like blood pressure, heart rate, steps taken etc.
Now, we are entering a time when there is broad availability of CGMs being sold OTC - no prescription required.
For those people who are pre-diabetic, or diabetic and can’t get a prescription for a CGM, the availability of an OTC CGM can make a big difference. The ability to monitor glucose levels in near real-time without the need to stick fingers and draw blood is a gamechanger.
But for those that just want “insights” into their glucose levels – how much data is enough?
As a “user” of CGMs for type 1 diabetes, CGMs are great devices – particularly when paired with insulin pumps. But there are downsides. They can be uncomfortable – particularly if you are allergic to the adhesive used. They are prone to falling off if you are an active person who works out/ sweats a lot. And, despite all the advances, sometimes they need to be calibrated, which requires going back to the old way and sticking your finger to draw blood.
So… if you weren’t stabbing your finger before to check your glucose levels – you are going to start now? And that would entail getting the finger stick supplies and analyzer – another cost.
Finally, if you do have an OTC CGM and see your blood sugar rising and staying high – what do you do? Short of making an appointment with your doctor – what can you do? Is there any education that goes with these CGMs? Blood sugar rises and falls based on food and activity - will you panic?
Sometimes too much data/insight is not necessary. Do you really need your fix of blood glucose data?
How much is enough?
Mike Auerbach
Pharma Group Editor-in-Chief
mauerbach@comparenetworks.com
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