FDA clears first smartphone app to deliver insulin doses

Add one feature to the technological Swiss army knife that is your smartphone: the ability to deliver doses of insulin.

The Food and Drug Administration cleared the first app for iPhone and Android devices capable of giving diabetes patients doses of insulin.

In a statement, Tandem Diabetes Care confirmed its t:connect mobile app, which pairs with the company's t:slim X2 insulin pump, will allow diabetic users to administer a dose of insulin directly through their smartphone.

The feature is used for bolus insulin dosing, said the company. According to the nonprofit organization Beyond Type 1, bolus insulin is a type of insulin taken to prevent glucose spikes after meals.

"This FDA clearance further validates our commitment to innovation and the diabetes community by providing one of the most requested feature enhancements," said John Sheridan, president and CEO of Tandem Diabetes Care.

The FDA-cleared feature will be available for free through a software update. The company did not say when the feature will launch.

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