Introducing the Monthly Diabetes Test: In an effort to manage the costs of healthcare in a more efficient manner one medical company is touting the benefits of a once monthly test that has now officially received a patent.
According to a company press release published a year ago, “The Epinex G1A™ Rapid Diabetes Monitoring Index Test is a revolutionary monthly rapid test that uses glycated albumin to measure how much damage has been done to the body by excess sugar. The Epinex G1A™ test will be a significant asset to help keep costs down by introducing a monthly testing paradigm that has been proven effective. This test could allow doctors to take action sooner than current diabetes testing methods, reducing the severity and cost of diabetes and its complications, which include blindness, kidney failure and cardiac disease.”
This information was published in response to President Obama’s initial suggestion that health care needed a major overhaul. At that time Epinex CEO, Asad Zaidi said, “With our current financial crisis, Epinex is working on a product that will help save our already over-burdened healthcare system billions of dollars, while helping diabetics manage their disease more effectively.”
Almost a year to the day since Epinex introduced their G1A™ Rapid Diabetes Monitoring Index Test another report surfaces. “The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted Epinex Diagnostics the patent for its primary technology, the G1A™ Rapid Diabetes Monitoring Index Test. The patent (US7659107B2) is for the first ever rapid glycated albumin test and instrument, which could redefine the way diabetes is monitored for over 250 million diabetics worldwide.”
The Epinex originated press release states that, “Albumin is an ideal monthly marker as it is replaced in the body every 2-3 weeks. Using only a pinprick of blood, the test will simultaneously and rapidly measure glycated albumin and total albumin. Researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine have described glycated albumin as a ‘more robust’ and ‘more accurate’ indicator of long-term glycemic control.”
Albumin is described as, “Any of numerous simple heat-coagulable water-soluble proteins that occur in blood plasma,” by Miriam-Webster Medical.
Epinex describes the standard process for testing, “Diabetics currently monitor themselves with multiple daily blood glucose tests, and HbA1c testing every 4-6 months. Scientific studies have demonstrated that current monitoring methods for type 2 diabetics (95% of all diabetics), are ineffective due to low compliance rates, physiological interference with accuracy, and delayed time frames for therapeutic interventions.”
Zaidi suggests, “Doctors will no longer have to wait 4-6 months to see if treatments are working. “The G1A™ test will allow doctors and patients to adjust their therapeutic and lifestyle interventions on a monthly basis instead.”
The company further indicates, “Several U.S. clinical studies have demonstrated that monthly diabetes management is effective in reducing costs and improving outcomes. Diabetes currently costs the U.S. over $113 billion annually, and costs are projected to triple over the next 25 years. Monthly G1A™ testing has the potential to bring about substantial cost reductions in diabetes care, fewer patient complications, and improved quality of life for over 250 million diabetics worldwide.”
One year ago U.S. President Obama said, “Crushing health care costs…drag down our economy, bankrupt our families, and represent the fastest-growing part of our budget.” Epinex contends their device can play a role in reducing costs and improving the potential of greater diagnostics in patients with diabetes.
