Physician advises diabetics to heed FDA's smart device warning

The FDA has warned diabetes patients not to use smartwatches or smart rings to measure their blood glucose levels. Now, obesity medicine expert Eleanor Yusupov, D.O., assistant professor at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, is sharing insight for these patients.

While many of these devices are marketed as noninvasive solutions, allowing users to measure their blood glucose levels without pricking the skin, Yusupov notes that the FDA has not authorized, cleared, or approved any noninvasive smartwatch or smart ring for the measurement of glucose. What's more, relying on these devices could have life-threatening consequences.

"It is very concerning that patients may be misled by the marketing claims and rely on smartwatches or smart rings that do not accurately measure blood glucose," says Yusupov. "Using devices that are not approved by the FDA may lead to serious health consequences. If left untreated, very high or very low blood sugar can be extremely dangerous and cause severe complications, even coma and death."

Instead, she advises patients with diabetes to use continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, which are approved by the FDA and provide accurate information on how a patient's body reacts to diabetes medications and foods eaten. Depending on the specific CGM device used, physicians may even program it to set off an alarm when blood sugar is dangerously high or low.

"Your doctor can recommend and prescribe a continuous glucose monitoring device that automatically checks your sugar and sends the result to your smartphone or a smartwatch. Most patients prefer this modern technology, which uses a tiny sensor placed in the arm, to traditional glucose meters that require pricking your finger," she says.