In CBS News today about potential malfunctioning sensors from Abbott Labs. Yikes!
The confusion with how a CGM is not a BG meter continues to impact patients, meter is necessary to live safely on insulin. CGM is so valuable to management, but does not completely replace BG meter.
For those wondering if your Freestyle Libre sensor is recalled go here:
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I agree a BG meter is an essential component to be maintained and used, at least currently. That said, CGM manufacturers have done a great job of communicating their products are safe, reliable BG detectors/reporters. Manufacturersâ know how and what conditions their CGMS are intended to be used for; theyâve spent millions to push BG meters to the back bench. Even so, theyâve tried to carefully couch their liability in the materials that come with each CGM to warn not to or limit their use for medical treatment determinations. Everyone knows how they are actually used by the T1/T2 community and, quite frankly, manufactuerers canât have it both ways; either it works or it doesnât work for the purpose advertised despite the small print! The community (i.e. us: T1s, T2s, and their caregivers) have become increasingly dependent on CGMsâŚjust as the manufacturers have advertised their productsâŚwe rely on their CGMs to function as advertised, vice documented, even with the errors and issues many of us have reported regarding start-up and ending reliability, as well as some issues in between. Iâve reported several times my own CGM choice is just unreliable enough to make me question its veracity. Most, if not all of us, know or recognize the âthat reading is just out thereâ (high or low), despite the alarm generated, and know to test the CGM against a perceived accurate BGM. But all of this is different from a product, advertised as and believed to be accurate and legitimate, that goes off the rails with no notification nor apparent behavior indicating it should not be trusted, let alone sufficiently off to cause death. Manufacturers have a responsibility to track issues (7 deaths, 100s of injuries), track down cause(s), and notify customers as early as early as possible; thatâs how a provider/corporation builds trust with its customers. Act immediately, in the best interests of customers; close down the perceived production line, notify customers receiving the product from the first date of indicated affection, and replace products if needed. Itâs not like the data isnât available to the manufacturerâs, most pharmacies (at least in the US, I donât know about others). I keep and use a BG meter when I feel my CGM is âoffâ or âout of kilter.â I expect most of us do. But that doesnât relieve manufacturers, the pharmacies, and others dealing with the products from responsibility. We all play a role. That said, @Sjwprod and others are right, currently we have to second guess CGMs and other systems (pumps, AIDs, etc) we choose to use when reliability should be questioned. âWhen is thatâ is a personal choice, not your doctorâs and certainly not the manufacturers!
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Thanks for posting the link, @elver . I was unaware of that Abbottâs CGMs, Libre 3 and Libre 3+, had many adverse reports on file with the FDA. Seven deaths and 100s of injuries certainly get my attention!
Iâve luckily been using the Dexcom G6 system as the basis of my DIY Loop. Iâve learned, painfully at times, since Iâve started using the Dexcom Seven Plus CGM in 2009, that I needed to finger stick confirm before I added insulin or carbs to tame a CGM glucose excess. I remain sore at Dexcomâs âadjunctive vs. non-adjunctiveâ policy nonsense that made my BGM test strips an uncovered insurance expense for CGM users.
Iâm interested in switching to an FDA-approved AID system, like twiist. Their current CGM? Libre 3+! This piece of news does not argue well for Abbottâs credibility in producing an accurate CGM. And I understand that it does not allow calibrations.
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I got that email from Abbott. Itâs underplaying how poor the product really is. My experience was a 100% failure rate, with thousands of excursions outside correct readings; sensors that didnât fail outright or mid-term would give numerous alerts that were frequently 100% or more in error. I canât imagine making glucose/insulin decisions based on that information, or using that to run a pump, etc. Very dangerous.
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Sequel Twiist reportedly is working towards compatibility with Dexcom (probably G7 in 2026?) and currently is also compatible with Eversense 365. The Eversense allows calibrations.
The main thing holding me back from Eversense 365 right now is the idea of being âlocked inâ to each sensor for a full year, for better or worse. Itâs always been comforting with Dexcom to know that a malfunctioning sensor can be easily swapped out for a replacement. Not so with a surgically embedded Eversense 365 sensor.
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@John58 - Good point about a downside of the Eversense one year longevity and the possible lock-in to an implanted sensor. Alternatively, a reliable implant would relieve you of a lot of activity and attention you have to pay with an every 10-day schedule.
Iâm also wary of the Dexcom G7 sensor and have held back with the G6 as itâs been dependable enough for me even with early failures of about 1 of 10 sensors. The G7 is a 90 degree placement sensor versus the G6 angled one. I havenât tried it yet as Iâve not been forced to.
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My experience with G7 has been good for the second half of this year. Earlier in â25 and last year I was dissatisfied with G7 due to the âwire poking outâ issue and many premature sensor failures at day 7, 8 or 8, but have not had a single problem lately. Perhaps theyâve improved their quality control on G7 sensors? Time will tell
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I had the Libre 3 for a while, then got a new pump (Medtronic 780G) and have been using the G4 compatible CGM. Mine always advises checking with a bg meter if your number is out of range, and I definitely do that, especially when it indicates a low, as Iâve found the CGM can indicate that Iâm at 65 and going down when my bg is actually at 90. Since BG monitors themselves can be at plus or minus 20%, and CGMs are even less accurate since theyâre testing interstitial fluid, I would never treat a super high or low without double-checking with my bg monitor.
(BTW, I donât bother checking with the highs, because I am one of those blessed (or cursed when it comes to weight loss) people who never produces ketones no matter how high I go.)
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Hereâs the link to check your sensor:
Consumers should visit www.FreeStyleCheck.com to confirm whether their sensor is potentially affected by this medical device correction. Abbott will replace any potentially affected sensors at no charge. Detailed instructions on how to check sensors and request a replacement are available on www.FreeStyleCheck.com.
And hereâs the link to the Abbott product statement (which contains the above):
My analysis is on a different FUD thread.
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My executive summary of the recall:
- Some of the Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensors may produce false low readings.
- By implication from the exact wording of the recall these readings may continue for some time.
- Overcorrection for low BG may result in adverse effects.
- Failing to deliver adequate insulin may result in death.
Iâm assuming that no one would accept that overconsumption of carbohydrate can cause death in a way that might be caused other than very indirectly by a false low BG reading.
The link to check the sensors you have for the real is:
When I tried the Libre 3+ it gave me readings consistently 20 points below my meter and the Dexcom G7 that I ran concurrently. When this announcement appeared I got out the old boxtop and went to get my replacement, only to find that mine had not been recalled! Any sensor you canât calibrate is going to have problems unless quality control is really good.
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With zero Libre CGM experience I cannot get past this sentiment. Iâve happily lived for nine years with Dexcom CGMs as the basis for my AIDs system. Dexcom is not perfect and Iâve crutched many an errant sensor (< 10% with presoaking) but with keeping the system honest with a steady and timely parallel BGM readings.
I am watching from afar and rooting for Abbottâs efforts to solidify into a highly dependable product!
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BTW, I ran across a friend who uses the Libre 3+ last night. He said he did receive a warning email from Abbott about the problem theyâve experienced and provided the website to check the S/Ns of his stock of 3+ CGMs (fortunately none of his were impacted). Though he wasnât sure of the timing of the warning he received in relation to the incidents that occurred, Iâm glad to hear Abbot did send him the warning, hopefully they did so for all users in a timely fashion!
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Every single Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensor that I used caused low glucose alarms, repeatedly, and they had a 100% failure rate.
Given that my current G7 is failing (been giving a datapoint every couple of hour or so, multiple low alarms, has been consistently 100% in error compared to the fingerstick readings, and has been offline most of the time for the past 24 hoursâŚmy experience with G7 is sitting on right about 95% total sensors have failed either completely or partially or failed to make it ten days. The current one is no exception.
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@Carbless I was having significant issues with G7 about 6 months ago, but recently it seems as though the quality of the G7 sensors has gotten better. I have had to do less recalibrations of new sensors and have had far fewer sensors that were +/-75 points off right out of the gate after warmup. I have also not had a single sensor fail to make the full 10 days lately. 6-8 months ago I was struggling to get 7 days. IMHO something changed at Dexcom (or someone addressed manufacturing issues).
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The email from Abbott doesnât bear out my experience; they imply that a small number of sensors worldwide had a problem, and admit a few people died. Iâm quite certain thatâs not the truth.
While Iâm sorry your experience with CGMs has been unacceptable, Iâd probably have a similar take if faced with the same results. With no intent to take sides in support of Abbot or others, I think itâs important to realize no CGM is going to mirror any BG meter. CGMs are measuring interstitial fluid BG as an estimation of blood glucose, where a meter is testing the actual blood, usually from the periphery (fingers), so the CGM will be 10-15 minutes behind (higher or lower or âcloseâ) the meter. Even blood in different parts of the body may be slightly different. In addition, the blood and body chemistryâs of the individual will dictate to some extent the results of thean CGM, both in BG readings and âstickabilityâ as well as reactions to the adhesives used. Would this wasnât the case and CGMs worked the same for us all! YDMV is, unfortunately, the current state of the science. Hereâs hoping for improvements⌠for you and us all until a cure is found!
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Thank you for that @TomH !
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