Sanofi launches home blood glucose monitor that estimates HbA1c

Sanofi Diabetes has launched a new blood glucose meter, the MyStar Extra, that not only provides blood glucose readings but can also provide an estimated HbA1c value.
The blood glucose monitor works out the estimated HbA1c value in a unique way that is not limited to simply taking an average of blood glucose results. To reach a more refined estimatio, the meter takes into account the meal tags assigned to tests and also how closely blood glucose tests were taken together.
When using average blood glucose results alone to work out an estimated HbA1c, the estimated result can become biased if you have had a number of either high or low blood glucose results close together. The MyStar Extra, however, uses unique technology to take into account how closely blood tests were taken together and therefore avoid such a bias occurring.
The estimated HbA1c feature will be of interest to people with either type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes who are interested to view how their A1c readings may vary between the clinical HbA1c tests taken by doctors.
In addition the HbA1c estimate, the blood glucose monitor also calculates a three day average of fasting plasma glucose levels and indicates whether there is a rising trend or not. This is likely to be useful with people with type 2 diabetes to assess how their fasting sugar levels respond to different diet, treatment and exercise routines.
Note that the A1c estimate and fasting plasma glucose averages are not intended to replace the clinical tests your health team carry out but can serve as useful information in addition to it.