Company Promises Painless Glucose Monitoring

Diabetics around the globe have yearned for an alternative to the lancet and needle to monitor blood glucose levels. The wait may soon be over.

Norcross, Ga.-based SpectRx Inc. has developed a device that painlessly monitors a person's blood glucose level. A laser is used to create microscopic holes on the surface layer of the skin. A patch covers the area and monitors a clear interstitial fluid below the surface of the skin. The liquid contains concentrations of glucose similar to levels in the blood. The patch is worn for three days at a time with a beeper-size meter providing results every five minutes.
Unlike other developmental technologies, the SpectRx device would work without drawing blood, implanting a sensor or sending an electrical charge into the body. The company unveiled its prototype at the 17th annual Hambrecht and Quist Healthcare Conference in San Francisco in January.