Am just wondering how many people are affected by the decision to stop dealing with insulin pumps in the USA. I’ve been with them for almost 17 years. Still have about 3 years to go on my current pump. I guess I’ll be looking at pumps more closely now.
The report that I read about this, is that Roche will continue to support all current users at least until their warranty runs out. The support includes supplies and 24/7 phone technical support. You’re right, however. You will be looking for another brand of pump in three years. At that time you’ll probably be looking at some form of automated dosing with an integrated CGM, an artificial pancreas.
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sad to hear about this, I’ve been with them since about 1989 or 90, when i got the HTron.
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Sorry to hear your favored pump is going away! 
Which pumps are you considering when you have to switch?
well, I guess I was “lucky” in that my pump had a communications malfunction the last week of December and they sent me a new one, so I guess I’m good for a few more years. Who knows what options I’ll have at that time? not to mention what the healthcare insurance situation will be. After reading some folks here’s experience with Tresiba, I’m not as afraid as I used to be about going on MDI.
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Roche are one of four main pump provideers in the UK. Their main USP for NHS funding bodies has been on price - they undercut Medtronic and Animas albeit by a small amount and IIRC offer a 5 year warranty period. I don’t think they are very popular with patients and some of their users do so because some NHS Trusts or Health Board effectively offer little or no choice (and people who are desperate for a pump tend not to argue or complain when offered one model only).
I suspect that they are also under pressure because they do not have a linked CGM system. This is surprising because Accuchek are the biggest player in blood glucose meters. They were exhibiting their “new” CGM system at a Scottish Parliament reception for World Diabetes Day. I chatted to the reps and they admitted that the model on show was a dummy and that there was no scheduled release date for the working kit. The transmitter was HUGE (much bigger than G4/G5 transmitters). The future is clearly hybrid closed loop systems and any company without even a working CGM system is likely to be trailing behind.
I have time to check out pumps because my warranty on this one is good until mid 2020. Hopefully by then, the CGM issues with Medicare will be resolved and I can get something that combines both it and pump.
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Yeah, Roche used to be huge here too. After all, it is a swiss company.
However, with the release of the 640G here almost 2 years ago many people i know switched from akku check to Medtronic, and many more will follow. Roche has missed out on a huge opportunity when not entering into the CGM marked early enough. Looks like the train for them has already departed…
It’s always bad when options shrink. Accu-Chek is a good pump - sorry to see it go.
They also failed miserably by not ever releasing the Solo patch pump, which would’ve been HUGE and done an incredible job offering competition to draw in OmniPod-interested folks. The company’s been dry on new pump innovation for years, and while this is sad, it’s not a surprise to most (just that they decided on this so quickly and tried to sweep it under the rug, that’s the most newsy – and telling – part of this).
Hopefully, they decide to sell pumps in the US at some point in the future. But again, that makes this even more head-shakingly confusing, as it does nothing but hurts them.
Oh well.
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They did release a new pump here, the insight, but its innovations are minor (pre-filled cartridges, a new remote meter that from experience of others is somewhat annoying).
They just missed out on the huge innovations, as you very well explained. Very sad…
where did you read about this? My husband and I are both on this pump
You may read about it here.
Thank you very much
Importantly, current Accu-Chek pump users aren’t being hit by this; Roche will continue serving customers who have the pumps. It’s just that if you need a new one after warranty, or are a new patient looking to start on the Roche pump, that’s no longer possible. So you are OK until it’s time to get a new pump…
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yeah 
as I remember, there’s somewhere on the pump you can see how many days you have left before it self-expires.
This is the first I have heard of this. I know they no longer have a pharmacy service. I found this out the hard way when I tried to order supplies.I was given a list of places to order from, but they do not contract with my insurance company.I have to call my insurance tomorrow and find out what to do. Im out of cartridges and have been reusing them for a week!
I’ve been getting my cartridges and infusion sets from McKesson (formerly called Sterling) for years, throughout some of the worst health insurance coverage of my life. Their number is 888-239-2990
they usually ship right away and the stuff comes in 2 days.
Yes, but that data is specific to the pump, not the length of your warranty.
I have been a Roche/Disetronic user for 17+ years. It’s always been a good, basic pump. When I first started, it was the only pump that was waterproof. Added to that was the fact that I always received two pumps (so I had a standby immediately available).
Those two features made it a no-brainer. When I first started pumping, I spent a lot of time sailing and the risk of water intrusion for a Medtronic was pretty high. A few years later, when I sailed away from the US and into places where postal services were a bit iffy, having a second pump was critical.
The current decision doesn’t affect me too much because my health insurer, UHC, will mandate that I go to a Medtronic. Even though my warranty will be up in November 2017, I hope to hang on until I can get a Medtronic Hybrid Loop-type pump that approaches the CGM performance of the Dexcom.
the 2 pump thing was so great, wasn’t it? saved me on more than one occasion.
where do yo get your supplies Mike?
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