Roche Diagnostics India Pvt. Ltd. has launched the Accu-Chek Integra system for the first time in India. A new integrated blood glucose monitoring system allows easy, safe and hygienic testing methods in even the most inconvenient of situations. The Accu-Chek Integra Kit will be available at Rs 4450. And Accu-Chek Integra Kit, along with the its test strip drum which is consisting 17 strips at Rs 544, will be available across Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The Accu-Chek Integra allows convenient and accurate testing for people who travel regularly and have an unpredictable daily routine. The new meter removes the need for single test strip handling or manual coding, fitting very well to the mobile lifestyle of busy people. Since the product contains a drum holding seventeen test strips inside the meter, it is very helpful for people with diabetes who have trouble handling the strips, perhaps because of arthritis or other conditions affecting manual dexterity. It removes the difficulty by integrating the test strips within the meter, thus minimising the effort while maximising the convenience.

Dr Mohan Badgandi, consultant in diabetes, endocrinology, obesity and metabolic medicine, Manipal Hospital Bangalore, said, "Diabetes is a chronic illness with devastating long term complications, resulting in reduced life span. It is an expensive disease if not attended regularly. Self-monitoring of blood glucose can change the lifestyle and give more confidence and is like an assurance. Patients can adjust insulin dosage based on self-monitoring. This in turn will reduce hospital visits; hence self monitoring of blood glucose is an essential component for diabetes care".

The integrated Accu-Chek Integra system also gives confidence where compliance and ease of use in regular blood glucose monitoring is particularly important. Parents of children with type 1 diabetes, which often feel responsible for making this possible, do appreciate the Accu-Chek Integra system for blood glucose testing with their children.

It also makes the blood glucose monitoring procedure simple. Seventeen test strips with capillary fill are stored within the meter and the meter is automatically coded with each new drum, hence the need for manual coding and individual test strip handling is avoided. Due to the capillary fill technology the blood sample is absorbed quickly. The required blood volume is just 1.5 microliters, and the measurement time is around 15 seconds. The memory capacity can store up to 100 test results, which can be transferred to a PC for more effective tracking of test results. This makes the Accu-Chek Integra system easy, safe and hygienic.