There is some good news for all those who need to check blood sugar levels regularly, as glucose test strips may be available for less than Rs 5 by year-end.
With prototypes of such blood glucose test strips, which now cost between Rs 30 to Rs 35, being developed by various organisations across the country with the help of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), the economical version is likely to be made available by the end of December.
Secretary Health Research and Director General of ICMR V M Katoch said, "these strips will be made available by the end of this year".
He said, "The cost of such strips will drastically come down as ICMR has provided public and private organisations with its research technology. This will help bring the cost of such strips between Rs 3 to Rs 5."
Currently, such strips are available in the market for over Rs 30-35 and patients suffering from diabetes have to use the expensive kits extensively.
These glucose testing strips can also be used for screening of diabetes as well as for self regulation of sugar levels among those suffering from diabetes.
The country's cheapest strips are being developed by institutes like BITS Hyderabad, IIT Kharagpur, CMC Vellore and others and are part of ICMR's long-term sustained Indian solutions to help bring down the cost of equipment for the common public.
The step assumes significance as India is the diabetes capital with the country set to cross the diabetes burden of 100 million by the year 2030.
According to recent data, experts say the country has witnessed a 12 per cent increase in the number of diabetes cases to 61 million in 2012 as against 50.8 million in 2011. Diabetes is also a major reason for deaths in the country.
"These strips are aimed to provide 95 per cent accuracy, as with the currently available strips in the market and they will help largely in screening for diabetes," said S K Rao, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Katoch said different prototypes for such strips are being developed and tested currently before their formal launch in the market.
These include strips that are used with glucometers, besides those which can be used even without the use of glucometer and will have callibrations on them.
A different prototype is being developed for testing sugar levels through the saliva.
That is indeed good news. But there are many strips in the range of Rs.13 to 15 per strip. They may be a bit slow & takes about 20 seconds to give a reading but then those 15 second extra time almost saves Rs. 20 per strip. One such example is GM3+ where a pack of 50 costs about 660 to 730 depending on your source of procurement. I use it & I am quite satisfied with it. But ICMR offering in the market would be the best thing & I hope these parasite MNC pharmaceutical companies should learn from it.
But the shelf life after opening is merely 90 days. So unless you are using at least two tiems a day, probability of getting wrong reading later is high. I agree Ebay is a best source ofr such strips.
It is great news for diabetics. The cost of medicines can also be brought down, if there is a willan intent by the goverment to have effective measures for price control. For the drug manufacturing companies, diabetics are a gold mine.
Superb idea which will benefit the masses. Earlier these strips were used sparingly as they are very expensive. This news is a big relief for many diabetes patients.
Testing Strips cost's Rs.30-35 when you buy a package of 10Nos., package of 100 is available in market for Rs.1200.00 and you can find a better deal online @Rs.1000.00 or below, Here I'm referring to Accu-Chek Active Strips, Omron is much cheaper and Abott is little bit costlier. If anyone need links to buy online then reply here.
kindly convey place of availability of BGR34 pills & sugar testing strips @ rs 5/- per strip.
how one can be sure that BGR34 have no side effect? Result of BGR 34 without Metformin consumption time. Research papers of ICMR & its address & email?
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