After reading many responses about the new box labeled Ultra Blue One Touch True Blue Test Strips, I asked a friend to connect me to someone “in the know!” I had anticipated a technology advancement that would improve the accuracy of readings, given the FDA findings. Why would they change the name and packaging unless something HAD changed!
This is what they sent:
The OneTouch® Ultra® Blue Test Strip launched in August of 2009 and replaced the previous (black) OneTouch Ultra Test Strip. It has the same the proven accuracy and performance of the original and can be used in all OneTouch Ultra Brand meters. However, it is manufactured with a single cal code of 25. This allows users to code their meter once to cal code 25, and thereafter just confirm the cal code before each test. It also has a new look to improve its brand awareness and visibility among users. The new strip is blue in color (instead of black) and features the OneTouch Brand name imprinted on the test strip.
The OneTouch Ultra Blue Test Strip packaging highlights an existing feature of OneTouch Ultra Test Strips called DoubleSure™ Technology that confirms each test result. The DoubleSure Technology has two separate electrodes that measure each blood sample and compares the two measurements. If the meter detects a significant difference between the two measurements, it generates an error message instead of a glucose value, indicating that the test should be repeated.
This has been a feature of OneTouch Ultra Technology from the beginning. However, due to the recent general interest in home glucose monitor accuracy, we felt it was important to highlight this feature to help reinforce customer confidence in the accuracy of our products. In fact, OneTouch Ultra Brand products have nearly eight years of proven accuracy.
So there you have it, from the company, to give us the scoop!
I vote Marketing Poo is behind it, because they are also talking about “double-sure” technology, which is is really B.S. Bayer has been eating J&J’s leading market share recently with the Contour USB meter (especially outside North America) and smart advertising (not the Nick Jonas endorsements, but their other spots resonate with buyers) and near universal coverage among PBMs who pay for 90% of the strips sold in the U.S.
Here is my speculation. You did not get the real story, the real story is probably a “secret.” Clearly the ultra blue strips are being made with more accuracy, thus the removal of the coding requirement. They are working out the kinks in these strips and in the next year or so, Onetouch will be releasing new meters with new coding technology. The new meters will have increased accuracy to meet the more stringent requirements that we fully expect the FDA to mandate. I bet will be a secondary coding for the new meters and it will be used in the new meters. The ultra blue test strips will still work in the old meters with code 25, but won’t provide any additional accuracy. It may even be that the new meters read the code automagically from the test strip without the need to manually recode for each new batch.
It is probably crap. The best thing they could do for accuracy is offer meters for “patient” diabetics that take 60 seconds for a measurement. Most 5 seconds strips are reasonably precise i.e. if you do three tests they will be close but the problem is when you compare the average with the lab test they are way off most of the time.
