How can a situation end in which a person with diabetes, trusting an “innovative” smartwatch advertised on the Internet, administers a dose of insulin based on its indications? The consequences can be tragic. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against watches that measure blood sugar.
A wave of dangerous fakes
You can increasingly see this type of smartwatches on many sales platforms. Sellers tout their supposed function of non-invasively measuring blood sugar levels. Attractive pricecombined with the promise of painless diagnostics, attracts buyers who are unaware of the threat.
Technology that doesn't exist yet
Currently, there is no approved technology to non-invasively measure glucose using a watch. The largest technology companies have been working on such a solution using infrared radiation for years, but none of them has managed to create a reliable device. The worst thing is that even typing in Google the phrase “sugar measuring device”, already on the first page we can see these “wonderful” smartwatches for measuring glucose. In addition, there are blog entries created by manufacturers of this type of equipment – all to create an impression of professionalism.
A deadly scam
“False readings can lead to incorrect insulin dosing decisions, which poses an immediate threat to life,” the FDA warns. A patient who trusts such a device may administer too much or too little of the drug. Consequences? From loss of consciousness to diabetic coma.
The only approved methods for measuring sugar traditional glucose meters and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems remain. Although they require puncturing the skin or inserting a sensor, these are the only devices you can trust.