During the company’s earnings call this past Monday night, new CEO Shacey Petrovic says the company will begin a full rollout of the DASH system “in a matter of weeks.” As I understand it, this is Bluetooth-enabled pods that will use a dedicated Android phone as its PDM. While this is somewhat of an advancement, in that I think it will integrate with Dexcom’s CGMs, the real step forward is the upcoming Horizon system that will be a hybrid closed loop system that will enable users to utilize their own cell phones as PDMs. The disadvantage is that a separate BG testing device will be required as there will no longer be a dedicated PDM with an on-board tester. I doubt I’ll be interested in Horizon, as I don’t want to have to carry an Android along with my Apple phone AND a testing device. I look forward with great anticipation, however, to being able to use my iPhone as PDM and to having algorithms built into the Horizon system to help control my BG levels.
This is exciting, but I’m a little bit confused on how the distribution will be. At some point, we were told it would be an automatic upgrade for current users but have read different versions around.
It sounds like it will be exclusively via Pharmacy?
Insulet CEO Shacey Petrovic:
We are wrapping up our limited market release and we look forward to kicking off our full commercial release in a matter of weeks. In a short period of time, we have already secured impressive coverage for DASH. We will leverage this coverage position and launched DASH in the U.S. through the pharmacy channel providing several competitive and strategic advantages for us.
I would welcome this. But my problem is I am on Medicare and can’t even get transmitters or sensors for my CGM G5. Plus not everyone likes IPhones. LOL
These are NOT iPhones but locked down old Samsung phones. It will not run like a normal phone as the application is locked down so that it only runs their software and nothing else. It’s not like using a phone at all. Just a way to re-purpose old phones.
The bad part, though, is that since it is an old phone, is that you will have to recharge the phone every 24-48 hours.
That’s true of the Dash system, but I believe Horizon will allow the patient to use his own phone and not require a separate PDM. Because of the recharging issue and the fact that Dash will require two devices (Android-based PDM and BG tester), I have no interest in that system, but I do look forward to the day that Horizon will allow me to ditch the separate PDM and have full control (of both the pod and my CGM) on my own smartphone.