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A new wristwatch-like device soon will help diabetics keep track of their blood sugar. The GlucoWatch, developed by Cygnus Inc., won't replace painful finger-prick blood tests, though, because it sometimes gives inaccurate readings.
The device, approved Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration, measures glucose levels every 20 minutes by sending tiny electric currents through the skin. It was approved as a supplement to finger-stick testing, but it has an added advantage of sounding an alarm if blood sugar hits dangerous levels. The device, available by prescription, is approved only for adults. Cygnus didn't say when the watch would start selling, or its price.
Another method of painless testing is under development by SpectRx, a Norcross medical technology company, and partner Abbott Laboratories/MediSense. That method is a continuous glucose monitoring patch, worn on top of the skin. Clinical trials are expected to begin by early next year. ``We hope this will be a replacement for the finger-stick, not an adjunct to the finger-stick,'' said company spokesman Bill Wells.
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(The Cox web site is at http://www.coxnews.com )
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