Watches that claim to monitor glucose levels
We have recently received a lot of questions about watches that claim they can measure blood glucose levels by shining a light through the skin.
Advertisements for these watches appear on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram from a range of companies including Amazon and eBay. They are more likely to appear if you have been researching blood glucose or continuous glucose monitors on a smart device.
Unfortunately, glucose measuring is going to be invasive
These products are unable to accurately monitor glucose levels. We do not recommend purchasing these watches for this purpose.
Products that measure glucose levels are highly regulated in Australia and need to go through the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to be approved as accurate and safe for consumer use.
These watches do not have TGA approval for this purpose.
Unfortunately, there is no existing technology that allows for glucose measurement in a non-invasive way – like these watches are claiming.
Glucose levels can be measured at home by either finger pricking or using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).
Some smart watches can display glucose readings if the person is also wearing a CGM device. In this scenario, it is the CGM device that is reading the glucose level, not the watch. The watch is only displaying the data.
If you are seeing these advertisements on Australian websites, then we encourage you to make a report to the TGA for further investigation as these companies may be in breach of Australian regulations.
The link for information on how to make a report to the TGA can be found here https://www.tga.gov.au/report-perceived-breach-or-questionable-practices.
The TGA is unable to regulate overseas websites. Before making a report, check to see if the website is Australian or from overseas.
Renae Roll
registered nurse (RN) and credentialled diabetes educator (CDE) at Diabetes Victoria.
I have worked at Diabetes Victoria for 16 years as a Diabetes Nurse Educator. Prior to my role as a Diabetes Nurse Educator, I was an emergency nurse at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne. I am a parent to two children aged 12 and 15 years. In my spare time I like to exercise, cook, read and catch up with friends.
