LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DexCom, Inc. (NASDAQ:DXCM), the global leader in continuous glucose monitoring for people with diabetes, today announced the UK launch of its Time in Range Campaign, an awareness and education campaign to improve the understanding and accelerate the adoption of time in range as the standard of care in diabetes management.
A recent UK survey found that despite its clinical and quality-of-life benefits, the majority of people with insulin-treated diabetes are not using time in range.1 Defined as the percentage of time spent with glucose levels in target, 2 time in range is a powerful metric for modern diabetes management and makes it easier for people to understand how to improve glycemic control.
In fact, time in range is so crucial that over half (51%) of survey respondents said they would rather swim with sharks than go low during an important meeting or event. While technology exists to help keep track of glycemic control, many people in the UK must self-fund, as it is not widely available on the NHS.
“Time in Range is about coming together and giving people with diabetes the tools and resources to help them feel healthier and live the life they want,” said multi-platinum recording artist, actor and philanthropist Nick Jonas, a supporter of the Time in Range campaign. “Having lived with Type 1 diabetes for more than half my lifetime, I know how much better I feel when my glucose levels stay within a set range. It’s time for the diabetes community at large to recognise time in range as one of the most important indicators of optimal diabetes management.”
Time in range also helps insulin-treated people with diabetes make informed treatment decisions instead of relying solely on the three-month average that a traditional A1C test provides. Other key survey1 findings include:
- The vast majority (83%) of people with insulin-treated diabetes say they feel better when they spend more time in range, yet two-thirds (59%) of people do not use time in range as a metric to gauge treatment success
- While the majority (77%) of people with insulin-treated diabetes also say they feel healthier when they spend more time in range, most (62%) say they do not talk about it regularly with their healthcare provider
- About two-thirds (66%) of people with insulin-treated diabetes surveyed said they agree it is the responsibility of their healthcare provider to bring new standards of care to their attention
- More than half (58%) of people with insulin-treated diabetes agree that if they were to spend more time in range, they’d feel more confident to pursue their dreams or passions
- Many respondents (68%) said that overall, they wish they had a better understanding of the available technologies to help manage diabetes
“There are such great tools out there today to measure time in range,” said Erik Bjorkman, General Manager EMEA at Dexcom. “One of the most effective tools is real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rt-CGM), a small, wearable sensor and transmitter that measures and sends real-time glucose values wirelessly to a smart device or receiver* without any fingerpricks.+ Rt-CGM technologies – like the Dexcom G6 – let people not only see whether they are in or out of their target range, but also show the speed and direction glucose levels are heading. At Dexcom, we are pushing for more people to have access to rt-CGM technology so everyone can have the power to make quick diabetes management choices.”
Though the majority (69%) of people with insulin-treated diabetes believe they deserve the most cutting-edge technology available to manage their disease, 1 access to CGM can vary significantly between clinical commissioning groups due to the UK’s postcode lottery system. In fact, around one-third of those using Dexcom do not receive NHS funding and pay for it themselves.3 Inaccessibility to CGM technology will continue to be a barrier in helping all people with diabetes adopt time in range and ultimately improve health outcomes. More can be done to broaden coverage as well as expand existing coverage criteria.
To get further information about time in range and access to resources for people with diabetes as well as healthcare providers, visit www.Dexcom.com/InRange. Join the conversation on social media at #WhenInRange.
About DexCom, Inc.
DexCom, Inc. empowers people to take real-time control of diabetes through innovative continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. Headquartered in San Diego, California, and with operations across Europe, Dexcom has emerged as a leader of diabetes care technology. By listening to the needs of users, caregivers, and providers, Dexcom simplifies and improves diabetes management around the world. For more information about Dexcom CGM, visit www.dexcom.com.
1Dexcom, U.K. data on file, July 2021. Similar data was found in the US and EMEA markets
2Defined by the T1D Outcomes Programme and the International Consensus on Time in Range as 3.9 and 10.0 mmol/L (equivalent to 70-80 mg/dL and 180 mg/dL) at least 70% of the time. Each individual should consult their healthcare provider.
3 Dexcom data on file
*For a list of complete devices, visit www.dexcom.com/en-GB/compatibility
+If your glucose alerts and readings from the Dexcom G6 do not match symptoms or expectations, use a blood glucose meter to make diabetes treatment decisions.
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