Less Pain, More Convenient

 

I remember someone once telling me, “I don’t participate in trials for new medicines because you never know….but devices, that’s another story!” So, here’s my story. I’m testing a new lancing device that’s already on the market in Australia and coming to market here in the fall.

The device is made by Pelikan Technologies. I saw it exhibited at the Children with Diabetes conference I recently attended. It’s a great lancing device for anyone, and especially for children because it truly is less painful. Here’s the deal: it has 30 different depth settings, holds a cartridge of 50 lancets so you always get a fresh one and never prick your finger accidentally, but the real deal-maker is — when you press the button to fire the lancet, you feel the lancet come out and just softly brush against your finger. A second later, it enters with the softest touch. It’s a little hard to explain, but amazing.

Now dialing a typical lancing device from ‘1’ to ‘2’ to ‘3’ seems so primitive. I’ve also learned using this device, that different fingers vary in skin textures, from rough to smooth, and benefit from a different depth setting. From my pinky to my thumb, I change the depth setting for each finger from 0.4, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 to 0.9. 0.9 on my pinky would hurt like heck. 0.4 on my thumb wouldn’t penetrate the skin. So once you work out the right depth setting for each finger, you’re assured minimal pain and the amount of blood you need. 

While I ordinarily change my lancets with the coming of each new moon, having them change automatically in the machine both combats my laziness, and really does help minimize pain. And of course, the idea is less pain promotes more testing.

This first digital, battery-operated, lancing device also results in less skin damage, minimal bleeding and faster healing of bruises. All around, this device is heads above anything else I’ve ever seen or tried. Its cool gold color is nice too.

The company is at work building in a meter to make the Pelikan Sun a one stop-shop. I’m glad to hear that because the only disadvantage this lancing device offers me right now is it’s bigger than I really want to carry around. 

I’m sold on this company’s ethics too. As they say on their web site, “All profits from the sale of Diacare products, including the Pelikan Sun, go towards Diabetes Australia-NSW’s research, education, awareness and advocacy programs.” Personally, in today’s global world of diabetes research, I don’t particularly care who gets there first.