- Provides broader access to FreeStyle Libre system for
residents living with diabetes in Ontario and Quebec
- FreeStyle Libre is the first sensor-based glucose monitoring
system to be listed in any Canadian provincial health plan
- The technology delivers accurate, real-time glucose readings
with a simple scan, eliminating the need for fingersticks[1]
ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Sept. 13, 2019
/CNW/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT), the global leader in sensor-based
glucose monitoring, announced today that it has received public
reimbursement in Ontario and
Quebec for its
FreeStyle® Libre system, becoming the first sensor-based
glucose monitoring system to be listed by any provincial health
plan in Canada. Quebec residents 18 years or older2
and Ontario residents using
insulin are eligible for reimbursement under the public
programs. With its proven accuracy and ease of
use,3 the FreeStyle Libre system replaces traditional
blood glucose monitoring and allows patients to dose insulin based
on the results.
"For me, I know the only possible way to properly control my
diabetes is to check my glucose levels multiple times a day, and
the FreeStyle Libre system lets me do that in a quick and simple
way," said Montreal resident
Anne Pertus, who was diagnosed with
Type 2 diabetes in 2016. "Knowing that the FreeStyle Libre system
will be covered by the province is a huge relief for me. My husband
is retiring next year and we will no longer have private insurance,
so this coverage is critical for me to continue to see the benefits
of sensor-based glucose monitoring."
Simple and discreet for those living with diabetes, the
FreeStyle Libre system monitors glucose levels continuously through
a small sensor worn on the back of the upper arm for up to 14 days.
A one-second scan of the sensor with a handheld reader or
smartphone4 provides a real-time glucose reading and a
complete picture of a person's glucose
levels.5 With more than 3 million Canadians
living with diabetes,6 today's announcement means that
more residents will have access to this innovative technology,
which removes the need for painful fingersticks.1
"It's amazing to see how people living with diabetes who use
FreeStyle Libre become more engaged in their care – they are seeing
their patterns and are coming to me directly with solutions for
managing their glucose levels, completely unprompted," said
Ken Burns, a certified diabetes
educator and pharmacist at the Centre for Complex Care at Health
Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord in Sudbury, Ontario. "The information my patients
are receiving from FreeStyle Libre removes much of the guesswork
about what glucose levels are doing that many people living with
diabetes are accustomed to, which is truly transformative
care."
In 2018, the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice
Guidelines7 recommended technology like the FreeStyle
Libre system as an important tool to help patients better manage
their diabetes and prevent long-term complications.7 The
longest-lasting, self-applied glucose sensor currently available,
the FreeStyle Libre system allows users to see comprehensive
glucose information, identify glucose trends with a directional
arrow and review eight hours of glucose history. Additionally, the
FreeStyle LibreLink mobile app is available for people with
compatible smartphones4 to obtain their glucose data
with a quick scan. Patients and their healthcare professionals can
see patterns over time and make adjustments to lifestyle, diet or
treatment, as needed.
"Healthcare professionals and patients tell us that the
FreeStyle Libre system is life-changing. These reimbursement
listings are important for the many Ontario and Quebec residents who rely on provincial health
plans to ensure they have access to this breakthrough technology,"
said Marie-Flore Nabor, general
manager of Abbott's diabetes care business in Canada. "Abbott will continue to work with
other provincial and territorial governments to make the FreeStyle
Libre system more widely available to all Canadians living with
diabetes."
Abbott's FreeStyle Libre system was authorized for sale by
Health Canada in 2017. As the #1 sensor-based glucose monitoring
system used worldwide,8 the FreeStyle Libre system has
changed the lives of more than 1.5 million people across 46
countries9 by providing breakthrough technology that is
accessible and affordable.10 Abbott has secured partial
or full reimbursement for the FreeStyle Libre system in 33
countries, including France,
Ireland, Japan, the United
Kingdom, and the U.S.
More About the FreeStyle Libre System
The FreeStyle Libre system is indicated for measuring interstitial
fluid glucose levels in adults aged 18 years and older. Always read
and follow the label/insert for detailed instructions and
indication of use.
To learn more about the FreeStyle Libre system, visit
www.myfreestyle.ca.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare leader
that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our
portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of
healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics,
medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our
103,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and
@AbbottGlobal.
_____________________________
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1 A finger
stick test using a blood glucose meter is required during times of
rapidly changing glucose levels when interstitial fluid glucose
levels may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels or if
hypoglycaemia or impending hypoglycaemia is reported by the system
or when symptoms do not match the system readings.
|
2 For
Quebec residents, users will need to have two years of experience
in diabetes self-management and use insulin multiple times daily to
be eligible for reimbursement.
http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/liste_med/2019/liste_med_2019_07_10_en.pdf.
Page 50.
|
3 Data on
File. Abbott Diabetes Care.
|
4 The
FreeStyle LibreLink app is compatible with Near-field Communication
(NFC) enabled iPhone 7 and higher running iOS 11 or
higher.
|
5 For
a complete glycemic picture, scan once every 8 hours.
|
6 Public
Health Agency of Canada.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/diabetes-canada-highlights-chronic-disease-surveillance-system.html.
Access June 14, 2019.
|
7 Houlden,
R., L. (2018). 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines.
https://www.diabetes.ca/DiabetesCanadaWebsite/media/Health-care-providers/2018%20Clinical%20Practice%20Guidelines/Ch1-Introduction.pdf.
Accessed May 2019.
|
8 Data on
file, Abbott Diabetes Care. Data based on the number of users
worldwide for the FreeStyle Libre system compared to the number of
users for other leading personal use, sensor-based glucose
monitoring systems.
|
9 Data on
file, Abbott Diabetes Care.
|
10 Based
on a comparison of list prices of the FreeStyle Libre system versus
other sensor-based glucose monitoring systems. The actual cost to
patients may or may not be lower than other sensor-based glucose
monitoring systems, depending on the amount covered by insurance,
if any.
|
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content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbotts-revolutionary-freestyle-libre-system-now-reimbursed-in-the-two-largest-provinces-in-canada-300917491.html
SOURCE Abbott