Test Strip Technology

dia.2008.0005.pdf

As a new Type 1’er I was obviously shocked at the monthly $ drain for these proprietary test strips. This is a technical article but helped me understand what goes into these little strips and though I am not convinced that the companies need to charge us all a buck a strip, at least now I can appreciate the research and technology behind this important part of all of our management of our BG.

Hey Chris, I know, its link the inkjet cartridge and printer scam. Meters cheap=expensive strips. If you do web searches there are huge swings in cost on the same strips.

It’s a racket!

Not only it is a travesty to charge this much for strips when the R&D costs have been recouped many times over, but the meters aren’t accurate. We’re paying for strips that yield results that are allowed to be off ±by 20%!

You should go to a diabetes fair. The biggest crowd will be at those manufacturers with the most expensive test strips. They have great giveaways and none of their cheaper competitors can afford that. Most competitors can not even afford to give away the metering devices for free. They have to think very carefully so their gift will turn into a paying customer. But the big revenue companies are giving them away so people will cherish them for having a new one every year - although they have paid their gift with higher prices anyway.

The biggest travesty is that many test stripes are manufactured in asia and then relabeled to the wishes of the local manufacturer. That is money making business.