CADTH Recommendations on Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Using Test Strips

If CADTH’s recent recommendations on self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) using test strips became the practice in Canada, health outcomes for those living with diabetes would not be compromised, while over $150 million annually could be redirected to other priorities. This is important when considering the best way to support good health for people with diabetes and how best to use our finite health care resources.

So what does the evidence say? Recent research focusing on the use of test strips that measure blood glucose in people with diabetes has revealed ― what may be to some — surprising results. The analysis included all applicable evidence to find out if and how often people with diabetes should be testing their blood glucose.

The findings indicate that, generally, most people with type 2 diabetes do not have to test as often as they do now. For example, most patients with type 2 diabetes not taking insulin and treated by diet and/or drugs taken orally do not require routine self-monitoring of their blood glucose.

However, the use of test strips among these patients is routine in Canada; it accounts for over 50% of the expenditure on test strips. Total spending in Canadian publicly and privately funded drug plans exceeds $330 million annually. In fact, in many public drug plans, the cost of test strips falls into the top five classes on which we spend the most.

In addition to the release of recommendations and intervention tools to support the optimal practice of SMBG, CADTH also published an article in the December 21, 2009 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal CMAJ entitled “Cost-Effectiveness of Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Managed Without Insulin.”

For additional information on SMBG, please contact the CADTH Liaison Officer for your jurisdiction. To find out how, go to www.cadth.ca. Detailed reports and tools are available online at www.cadth.ca/smbg.