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Test Kits

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penlost

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Hello all, I recently received a free Onetouch Verio Iq test kit for my daughter. We have been using it and like it but found it tests much higher than her other meters, sometimes by more that 3 mmol. I rang Onetouch and they say its because it is newer technology and is in fact the one that is accurate! Is this just sales spin or have any others had this experience ?
 
I have three meters, they all give different results. Freestyle always reads lower than the accucheck and the iBGstar is always higher than both the others but also very inconsistant, so I tend to use the freestyle as at least it and the accucheck are consistant and the freestyle requires a smaller blood sample.

i've queried the differences with all three manufacturers. Freestyle saids theirs was accurate but sent me a replacement anyway, accucheck said theirs was accurate, BGstar said theirs was accurate but promised me a replacement (twice) bit never arrived, although they did send me a test solution which said it was Ok despite the hugely erratic readings.

Bottom line - dont assume the reading is correct when compared to a proper lab test, they just are not that accurate, but provided there is consistancy in the readings they are usefull to show the trends. The averages presented by my freestyle seems to be closest to the HbA1c result so far.
 
None of them are accurate really. They are however, a good guide. The manufacturers are required by law to produce test equipment that are accurate with certain tolerances but these can be quite high, up to 20%. I would guess that any of the relevant companies' sales reps will all tell you theirs are the best so probably sales talk. The important thing, as Thommo points out, is to look for patterns/trends.
 
Another poster and myself carried out some tests on three meters all of which read differently. We both got in touch with our respective manufacturers and I ended up testing my meters against Abbotts control solution. The reason I did it that way is because the control solution has a known sugar content and is accurate. Here is a post I wrote at the time.

"As promised, here are the scores on the doors for the SD Codefree meter. I tested it using Abbott control fluid since I know their concentration, have not found anyone selling control fluid for the Codefree and because their method of self testing the meter consists of a dummy strip which just makes the screen say OK.

0.05% fluid equates to 2.8mmol/L. Actual readings (3 of) were 3.2, 3.6, 3.5

0.3% fluid equates to 16.7mmol/L Actual readings (2 of) were 21.1, 21.1

My method of knocking 1 off the score still seems about right for the lower readings."

So if you can get your hands on a control solution ........

During those tests the Abbott Freestyle Lite proved to be very accurate.
 
The freestyle lite is the model I use too, very happy with it but the strips are one of the more expensive types
 
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