Insulin Device Companies' New Mantra: Real Simple
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
Companies developing devices for diabetes have to ask a question that companies in other medical device fields don't: what about the users, the people with diabetes? How will they use the device? Because in diabetes care, management of the disease is left up to the patient, who is asked to self-test blood glucose levels, self-administer insulin by injection, and pay attention to diet and exercise. Acknowledging that the patient is the single most important contributor to success in diabetes care, start-up companies have set out to make insulin delivery easier. With a focus on ease of use as a clinical advantage, start-ups are offering new insulin delivery devices for two distinct markets: the full-featured (but easy to use) insulin pump for Type 1 diabetes, and the disposable, simple insulin patch/infuser for Type 2.