SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 10, 2000 -- A new test strip that allows people with diabetes to test their blood glucose using samples from their arm as an alternative to painful fingersticks was introduced here today at the 60th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association. LifeScan, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, presented the new OneTouch® FastTake® Test Strip for use with the OneTouch® FastTake® Blood Glucose Monitoring System, which was recently cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be used with blood samples obtained from the arm.

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This less painful, alternative testing method will help some of the 16 million Americans with diabetes test their blood sugar more frequently. Regular testing can help people with diabetes make the adjustments needed to better control their blood glucose levels, which can reduce their risk of serious eye, kidney and nerve complications by up to 60 percent. Clinical research confirms that many people with diabetes consider armstick glucose testing with the new test strip to be significantly less painful than fingerstick testing, as the arm has fewer nerve endings.

"The big advantage here is a system that allows people flexibility. They can consider alternative sites," said Stuart Brink, MD, clinical instructor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and senior pediatric endocrinologist at the New England Center of Diabetes and Endocrinology, where the research was conducted.

"We studied 43 patients, and three out of four of them said it was easy and less painful," Brink said, referring to glucose testing on the arm. A second study of 40 patients at the center also compared arm testing to fingertip testing and found similar results.

Arm testing was made possible with the OneTouch FastTake System because the new test strip requires a 40 percent smaller blood sample than the original strip (1.5 microliters vs. 2.5 microliters). Also, the test strip's FastDraw™ Design uses "capillary-action" to automatically draw the blood drop into the tip of the test strip on contact, making it easy and convenient to obtain a sample. Because only a tiny drop of blood is required to get an accurate result, many people can now get an adequate sample from their arm instead of their fingertips, which tend to bleed more easily.

This new test strip is especially important for people with diabetes who avoid testing their blood glucose levels because of the pain of repeated fingersticks. According to the American Diabetes Association, people should test as often as 4 times a day, but the national average is only slightly more than once a day. Providing people this alternative may make it easier for people to comply with the testing levels recommended by their healthcare provider.

The OneTouch FastTake Compact Blood Glucose Monitoring System is the only system available at retail to offer arm testing, a small blood sample requirement, and fast, accurate test results in just 15 seconds. It also features a 150-test memory and automatic 14-day averaging of blood glucose results. The new test strips are available in 50- and 100-count packages, and will soon be available in pharmacies across the country.

LifeScan, the leading maker of blood glucose monitoring products, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with diabetes. More diabetes specialists and pharmacists recommend LifeScan systems than any other brand. Every day, more than three million people rely on LifeScan systems for simple testing and accurate results. The company is located in Milpitas, California.

Visit www.LifeScan.com for information on diabetes self-care, healthcare professional standards of care, and LifeScan products and services.

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