Bayer Diabetes Care Introduces DIDGET In the US

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer Diabetes Care today announced the introduction of the DIDGET^™ blood glucose monitoring system in the United States. The DIDGET meter is unique because it is the only blood glucose meter that connects directly to Nintendo DS™ and DS Lite gaming systems to help kids manage a lifelong disease by rewarding them for building consistent testing habits and meeting personalized blood glucose target ranges. Bayer's DIDGET meter is now available for purchase in the U.S. through CVS.com, Drugstore.com and Walgreens.com.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100426/NY92301 )

Bayer's DIDGET meter links play with purpose for children with diabetes by tapping into kids' existing passion for handheld gaming. The DIDGET meter positively reinforces consistent blood glucose testing habits by awarding points that kids can use to unlock new game levels and customize their gaming experience.

"As the first meter truly designed with kids in mind, the DIDGET meter can transform a child's blood sugar testing experience from something they have to do into something they want to do," said Dr. Larry Deeb, pediatric endocrinologist and medical director for the Diabetes Center at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Florida and a paid consultant for Bayer. "Regular blood sugar testing is critical for diabetes management and one of the biggest challenges facing parents of kids with diabetes is motivating their kids to develop good testing habits. Bayer's DIDGET meter adds an element of fun and rewards to the routine of testing and, by doing so, helps ease that parent/child tension that testing often creates," he added.

Bayer's DIDGET meter is intended for use by kids ages 4-14 and grows with the child's ability to manage their diabetes, offering two testing levels, Basic and Advanced. It comes with Knock 'Em Downs™: World's Fair that includes a full length adventure game and mini game arcade. The DIDGET meter will connect to Bayer's DIDGET™ World (www.bayerdidget.com), a password-protected Web community that is coming soon, where kids can spend points that they earn from consistent monitoring practices and create their own page.

The DIDGET meter is based on Bayer's trusted CONTOUR^® system and uses the same technology and CONTOUR test strips, providing the same easy accuracy, No Coding™ technology, no interference with maltose, galactose and oxygen and automatic correction for hematocrit and many common interfering substances (e.g., acetaminophen, ascorbic acid). CONTOUR test strips also feature under fill detection and automatic control solution marking as well as a 5-second test time and small (0.6 mL) sample size.

Nick Jonas of The Jonas Brothers, who is a paid spokesperson and an actual user of Bayer's CONTOUR USB meter said, "I know first hand how important it is for kids to test their blood sugar regularly. Using Bayer's DIDGET meter is a cool and fun way for kids to do that. The DIDGET meter uses the same test strips as the CONTOUR meter, the strips I rely on every day."

Bayer's DIDGET meter recently received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the blood glucose meter is now available for a suggested retail value of $74.99 through leading online pharmacies. Nintendo DS and DS Lite gaming systems are sold separately and are not required or needed to use the DIDGET meter. Bayer's DIDGET World Web Community is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Internet Explorer 7 and 8, Firefox 3.0, 3.5, 3.6. For more information, visit www.bayerdidget.com.

Building on more than 40 years of experience since Bayer pioneered the first portable blood glucose meter, the company recently introduced CONTOUR USB, the first blood glucose monitor in the U.S. that connects directly to a PC or MAC - providing users with instant access to information and trends about their blood sugar levels. Bayer innovated the measurement of A1C (glycated hemoglobin) and was the first to offer a suite of blood glucose monitors with No Coding™ technology and no interference from maltose and galactose.

About Diabetes

An estimated 186,300(1) young people under the age of 20 in the U.S. have diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In persons with type 1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin, and therefore people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin to manage their life long disease. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in adults, although increasingly, children are being diagnosed with this disease(2).Type 2 is associated with obesity, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity(3). In people with type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't make enough insulin, or it doesn't use the insulin it does make very well. There are many therapies available, including insulin, for people with type 2 diabetes. All people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes must carefully balance food, medications and activity level to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible in order to avoid long term complications of diabetes.

Bayer Diabetes Care

Bayer Diabetes Care is a worldwide leader in diabetes care, supporting customers in 100 countries and, for more than 40 years, has led the way in diabetes care product innovation. Today, Bayer Diabetes Care offers an unparalleled choice in diabetes management systems and comprehensive support including education, tools and resources designed to simplify life with diabetes. Bayer Diabetes Care is a business of the Bayer HealthCare LLC, Medical Care Division and has its global headquarters located in Tarrytown, New York. www.simplewins.com.

Bayer HealthCare

The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of healthcare, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The pharmaceuticals business operates under the name Bayer Schering Pharma. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Find more information at www.bayerhealthcare.com.  

(1) http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/search.pdf.  Last accessed May 4, 2009

(2) http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/search.pdf.  Last accessed May 4, 2009

(3) http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/general.htm

SOURCE Bayer Diabetes Care