"Sold as smartwatches, rings or blood glucose monitors – devices to be placed on the finger – these devices pose a considerable risk to diabetic patients," declared in a press release the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) and the Fraud Control Agency (DGCCRF). Indeed, "they cannot give reliable blood sugar values," insist the authorities.
This alert comes in a context where the use of a blood glucose sensor is being promoted, well beyond the sole public of diabetics, by athletes and online influencers, with the supposed idea of improving performance or controlling weight.
Supposed “non-invasive” sensors can be wrong
However, the ANSM and the Fraud Control Agency say they have "were alerted by the proliferation of offers on online platforms and social networks for products that claim to be able to measure blood sugar in a 'non-invasive' way, that is, without pricking or penetrating the skin, based on possible technological advances."
Read alsoA glove-fitting device for measuring blood sugar without pricking
However, the only devices that have proven effective are either those that analyze a drop of blood or those that work by inserting a filament under the patient's skin. The supposedly "non-invasive" sensors can therefore be mistaken and mask hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, with a delay in treatment and, in the worst cases, a risk of coma or death.
Misled consumers can request a refund
The authorities, who assure that the targeted websites have removed the ads in question, point out that misled consumers can request a refund. This alert must be distinguished from broader concerns in the medical world regarding the misuse of truly effective sensors, such as Abbott's iconic Freestyle Libre.
Read alsoType 2 Diabetes: Changing Your Habits May Be Enough
Measuring blood sugar is, in fact, only of real interest to a diabetic. However, it is useless for a healthy patient, whose body adequately manages blood sugar levels. In these people, using a sensor runs the risk of misinterpretations, for example, with an inappropriate change in diet.
English 
French