CHILDREN can now be liberated from the pain of routine finger pricks through continuous diabetes sensing technology Abbott's FreeStyle Libre which the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has now approved for children aged 4-17 years.
The TGA, which had formerly approved the product for use in adults (PD 03 Jun 16), has granted an expanded indication to include children and teens aged four to 17 years with diabetes mellitus and who are supervised by a caregiver who is at least 18 years of age.
This means that Australian children living with insulin dependent diabetes now have access to a system that does not get in the way of a fun, active life and is easier and less painful than traditional finger prick testing.
One of the big advantages of the FreeStyle Libre is that parents and carers can now wave a reader over a sensor (worn on the back of the child's arm) to assess their glucose levels, day or night, without the inconvenience of a fingerprick.
Ultimately, the extended indication will help redefine how younger Australians living with diabetes, their parents and caregivers manage their diabetes.
Australia is one of the first countries outside of Europe to have access to FreeStyle Libre, the company said.
Abbott is currently working with health authorities in Australia to seek reimbursement for FreeStyle Libre on the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), and this expanded indication is further reinforcement of the value of a technology that has been described as "life-changing" by the thousands of Australians who've used it.
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