Global healthcare company, Abbott, announced that its continuous glucose monitoring system Lingo can now be purchased in the U.S. without a prescription.

Lingo contains a biosensor and mobile app that is based on Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring technology.

The system is a bio wearable product intended for people older than 18 years who are not taking insulin. 

It tracks glucose in real time and gives end users personal insights and coaching with the goal of helping build healthy habits, retrain metabolism and improve overall health. 

“There is a great deal of interest in tracking biomarkers that provide insights into one’s health and wellness that were previously undetectable using the trackers available to consumers,” Olivier Ropars, divisional vice president of Abbott’s Lingo business, said in a statement.

“Glucose is a powerful signal of your body’s unique response to food and lifestyle. Abbott’s Lingo tracks your glucose 24/7, translating the data into insights and bridging the gap between traditional healthcare and preventative measures. Lingo empowers individuals to build new healthy habits and take control of their health and wellness.”

THE LARGER TREND

In August, Abbott brought its Vertigo Coach app to India, where nearly 10 million people live with this condition. The product is available on both Android and iOS devices, the mobile app provides information and resources to help people with vertigo manage their condition. 

In 2022, Abbott’s implantable cardiac sensor system CardioMEMS was granted expanded FDA clearance, allowing earlier stage heart failure patients to use the tech. 

The system, which is designed to monitor pressure changes in the heart, is implanted in a patient’s pulmonary artery during a minimally invasive procedure. 

In 2021, Abbott received FDA clearance for its imaging software, which used artificial intelligence to give doctors a clearer look at blood flow and blockages in heart vessels.

The Ultreon 1.0 Software pairs optical coherence tomography with AI to help physicians make decisions about next steps for treatment.

Other players in the glucose monitoring space include Dexcom’s Stelo, a wearable glucose monitoring device that hit the U.S. market in August. It tracks glucose 24/7 and doesn’t require a prescription.

Medtronic offers two smart continuous glucose monitoring systems: Guardian Connect, which can alert patients up to 60 minutes in advance of a high or low, so that they can take action, and Guardian Sensor 3, which can also predict a high or low up to an hour in advance, and is integrated with the company’s latest advancement in insulin pump therapy.

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