Would be interesting to know how many countries are restricting test strips.
In 2007 out of these countries : Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Tanzania, the U.K, and the U.S. only Norway and the UK were providing free strips for those on oral medications.
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/conten ... /e105.fullAustralia is currently reviewing provision for T2
http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/reviews/diabetesSweden, Germany, and Canada have all reviewed and have introduced or are introducing restrictions or stopped providing completely for people not on insulin.
http://www.ti.ubc.ca/letter81Similarly in 2011 the French introduced strict quotas on strips for people not on insulin.
Here is the position according to this 2011 doc. I've highlighted those that seem to offer some provisions and updated the countries that have changed policy since the survey. In lots of the poorer countries strips are also limited or not reimbursed for people on insulin and some are very unclear as to what they provide to T2s not on insulin .
http://ec.europa.eu/health/major_chroni ... e_2011.pdfAlbania: not reimbursed
Armenia : only children
Azerbarjan : low provision
Austria: reimbursedBelarus : 1 free strip a day T1 under 18, too expensive for most others
Belgium: reimbursed for those on 2 injections + a day and
on max dose of orals(meters not reimbursed)
Croatia : strips reimbursed if on 2 +injections a day, meters partially reimbursed
Cyprus: no reimbursement for meters or strips
Czech republic: On insulin 1000 free strips per year;
oral med 100 free per year; diet only 50 free per yearDenmark: Reimbursed if on insulin : 50% of meter cost reimbursed.
50 strips reimbursed if on oral medsEstonia :
90% reimbursed- if T1 adult (600 strips per year),T2 on insulin(300 strips)
T2 oral (100 strips) child or pregnant (1200 strips) Monitors not reimbursed
Faroe Isl: (Denmark) : annual payment of € 215 for D care; includes max 4 strips per day.
France :at time of study fully reimbursed. Now reimbursed for people on insulin. Limited reimbursement for people on oral medication(
max 200 per year in context of education) Meters reimbursed 1 every 4 years.
Georgia : Meters and strips reimbursed for children; No reimbursement for adults
Germany: at time of study limited reimbursement for strips and meters. Since 2011 not reimbursed for people on oral medication/diet
Greece: unclear
Hungary : Children 100% reimbursed Adults 50%
Iceland: Partial reimbursmentIreland: Free/partial reimbursementIsrael unclear/ partial?
Italy: unclear , only partial reimburementKazakhstan : 300 strips free per year for insulin dependent.
Kyrgyzstan : no reimbursement
Lativia : on insulin 120 strips per month (75% reimbursed); if pregnant 150 strips a month (100% reimbursed),
Oral medication, 30 strips a month (50% reimbursed)Lithuania :
Partial reimbursement ; Children, 1800 strips a year; T1 adults, 900 strips a year, T2 on insulin,300 strips a year,
T2 on oral medication, 150 strips per yearLuxembourg : 1 meter every 5 years, strips reimbursedMacedonia: not reimbursed
Netherlands: if on insulin reimbursed.
Norway : reimbursedPoland: partial reimbursementPortugal: uncllear if for T2 limited reimbursement
Romania : if on insulin reimbursed
Russian Federation: strips free/reimbursed (but not clear to what types)
Serbia :reimbursed (again not clear how universal)
Slovakia : restricted reimbursement , 50-100 strips a month for those on insuln
Slovenia : free but very limited
Spain: strips available , 60-90% reimbursementSweden: At time of survey fully reimbursed. Now I believe they are limited for those not on insulin.
Switzerland: reimbursedTurkey: unclear
Ukraine: Free for children/pregnant women; unclear if available for others (there are supply problems with medications so suspect not)
UK: Free but only available if deemed by a healthcare professional to be neededUzbekistan: unclear (medications + insulin only partially reimbursed so doubt there is much provision)