Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects millions of Canadians, including children and adolescents. People with diabetes need to monitor their blood glucose levels regularly to avoid complications and maintain optimal health. However, traditional methods of blood glucose monitoring, such as finger-pricking and manual record keeping, can be inconvenient, painful, and inaccurate.
Fortunately, there are new technologies that can make glucose monitoring easier and more effective for children with diabetes. These include continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and flash glucose monitors (FGMs), which are wearable devices that track blood glucose levels in real time and provide alerts and trends. CGMs and FGMs can reduce the need for finger-pricking, improve glycemic control, prevent hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia episodes, enhance quality of life, and empower children to manage their diabetes better.
In Canada, some provinces have recognized the benefits of these devices and have started to cover them under government health benefit plans. For example, Alberta recently announced that it will cover CGMs for children under 18 years old starting from Feb. 1st 20231. Manitoba also covers CGMs and FGMs for eligible clients 25 years old and younger2. Other provinces have limited or no coverage for these devices.
However, there are still challenges and barriers that prevent many children with diabetes from accessing these devices. Some of these include:
The high cost of the devices: CGMs can cost between $3,500 to $6,000 per year while FGMs can cost between $2,000 to $3,000 per year3.
The administrative red tape: Depending on the province or territory, coverage may be restricted by age or other criteria3.
The lack of evidence: There is limited evidence on the efficacy of these devices for type 2 diabetes or type 1 diabetes in pregnancy4.
The personal preferences: Some children may not like wearing a device on their skin or having to scan it frequently5.
Therefore, more advocacy and research are needed to ensure that all children with diabetes in Canada have access to these devices if they choose to use them. Glucose monitoring devices can improve the lives of children with diabetes by helping them achieve better glycemic control and quality of life.
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Sources:
[1] Glucose monitoring devices now covered for Alberta children with … – CBC (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/glucose-monitoring-devices-now-covered-for-alberta-children-with-diabetes-1.6346383)
[2] Canada CGM – CanadaCGM.com (https://canadacgm.com/)
[3] Blood Glucose Monitoring in Adults and Children with … – Diabetes Canada (https://www.diabetes.ca/DiabetesCanadaWebsite/media/Advocacy-and-Policy/Advocacy%20Reports/Glucose_Monitoring_Devices_EN_2021.pdf)
[4] Canadian Journal of Diabetes (https://www.canadianjournalofdiabetes.com/article/S1499-2671(20)30242-5/fulltext)
[5] CGM Benefits and Challenges – Diabetes Educators Calgary (https://www.diabeteseducatorscalgary.ca/uploads/files/CGM%20Benefits%20and%20Challenges.pdf)
[6] Benefits and Barriers of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Young … (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28745097/)
[7] Monitoring Glycemic Control – Diabetes Canada (https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/docs/patient-resources/monitoring-glycemic-control.pdf)
[8] My Site – Chapter 9: Monitoring Glycemic Control – Diabetes Canada (https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/cpg/chapter9)
[9] Coverage of Glucose Monitoring Devices – Diabetes Canada (https://www.diabetes.ca/DiabetesCanadaWebsite/media/Advocacy-and-Policy/Advocacy%20Reports/Glucose_Monitoring_Devices_EN_2021.pdf)
[10] Glucose Monitoring – Province of British Columbia (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/pharmacare/prescribers/glucose-monitoring-devices)
[11] Chapter 5: Diabetes in Canada: Facts and figures from a public health … (http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2011/sc-hc/H115-28-2011-eng.pdf)
