Bayer Diabetes Care launches Didget in England, Ireland

NEWBURY, England Bayer Diabetes Care in England and Ireland on Monday launched Didget, a blood glucose meter designed for kids with diabetes that connects directly to Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite gaming systems.

The Didget meter is designed to help kids manage their diabetes by rewarding them for building consistent blood glucose testing habits and meeting personalized glucose target ranges.

“One of the biggest challenges facing parents of children with diabetes is the constant struggle to instill the habit of regular blood glucose testing that is critical for consistent diabetes management,” stated John Gregory, professor in Paediatric Endocrinology, Wales School of Medicine, Cardiff University. “Bayer’s Didget meter can help ease the parent/child tension that testing often creates by adding an element of fun and rewards to the routine. Because it is designed with children in mind, Bayer’s Didget meter can transform a child’s blood glucose testing experience from something they have to do into something they want to do.”

“The Didget meter is a revolutionary development in healthcare management,” stated Sandra Peterson, head of Bayer Medical Care. “Up until now, blood glucose monitors have been created with adults in mind. … This product was inspired by a parent of a child with diabetes, to directly address the challenges facing kids with diabetes and their parents.”

The Didget meter, intended for use by kids between the ages of 5 and 14, will also connect to Bayer’s Didget World (http://www.bayerdidget.co.uk), a new password-protected web community where kids can spend points that they earn from consistent monitoring practices and create their own page. Bayer’s Didget World is currently in development and will be available soon.

Bayer’s Didget meter is based on Bayer’s Contour system and uses the same technology and test strips.

According to Bayer’s web page www.bayerdidget.com, the meter is not yet available for sale in the United States.