There are columns showing how many of the tests were with 15%, 10% and 5%.The right three columns show the accuracy for blood sugars over 100 mg (5.5 mmol).The left three columns show the accuracy of results for blood sugars under 100 mg (5.5 mmol).The table compares meters based on the proposed, tighter standards that will likely be approved this year. It is up to us to fight for independent testing. Independent testing of accuracy is very expensive, and no one is doing it. There is no way to compare current meter accuracy. This is the sad truth.Some meters may have differences between their European counterparts with the same name. The meters below were tested in Europe. Not all meters are available in the USA.This is especially true if you look at the “within 5%” column. The methods used to test the meters have a margin of error of up to 8%. Therefore, not all of the inaccuracies can be automatically attributed to the meters themselves.This chart only gives us a peek at a single manufacturing run a few years ago. Every time a manufacturer makes a set of test strips, quality can go up or down. The study only looked at one manufacturing lot.Over at least ten days, the patients tested their blood sugar with the meter and then a second sample was taken for analysis in a lab.īefore using this data, it is important to know the limitations: The test strips were taken from at least seven different vials of one manufacturing lot. Guido Freckmann and others published in Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, Volume 6, Issue 5, September 2012.īetween 20, over a hundred people were recruited to test each of the meters listed below. The chart below is from System Accuracy Evaluation of 43 Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems for Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose according to DIN EN ISO 15197 by Dr. Taking too much insulin can result in severe low blood sugars, hospitalization and even death. If you’re going to take a shot of insulin, a number that’s 15% off is a really big deal. This puts people relying on these tools in unnecessary danger. And as you will see below, many meters are sub-standard. There is a new proposal that would require all results to be within 15%.īut how do you know if your meter is meeting this standard? Today, there is no systematic verification of meter accuracy after it gets approved for sale. For example, if your blood sugar is 60 mg (3.3 mmol), the meter must read between 45 (2.5 mmol) and 75 (4.2 mmol) at least 95% of the time. For blood sugars under 75 mg (4.2 mmol): Accurate within 15 mg.For example, if your blood sugar is 200 mg (11 mmol), the meter must read between 160 (8.8 mmol) and 240 (13.3 mmol) at least 95% of the time. For blood sugars over 75 mg (4.2 mmol): Accurate within 20%.How accurate is your blood glucose meter?Ī major study found that almost half of meters do not meet the minimum required standards:

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