Roche diabetes monitoring products to be sold in Woolworths

MedTech News: Roche Diabetes Care Australia has announced that a range of diabetes monitoring products will soon be available in Woolworths.

Products including Accu-Chek Instant S blood glucose meters, Accu-Chek Instant test strips and Accu-Chek Softclix lancing products, will be nationally available in the Health Aisle at Woolworths from March 2020.

Jane Crowe, General Manager, Roche Diabetes Care Australia noted that while the local pharmacy remains the key access point for products that are reimbursed via the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) and to seek advice, for the many Australians who are not managing their diabetes effectively, Roche did not want access to be a barrier.

“We are committed to innovation, not only in our product development, but also in ways in which consumers can access them. Given this range is not reimbursed via the NDSS, no form is required to purchase the products, enabling us to establish the partnership with Woolworths and broaden availability,” said Ms Crowe.

A spokesperson for the Pharmacy Guild of Australia said “This is a regrettable retrograde step. Distribution of these products through supermarkets will separate patients from the professional care and advice that is so important to the proper management of diabetes.”

Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic condition in Australia. There are currently 1.7 million Australians are living with diabetes and a further 280 people diagnosed each day.

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