Diabetes affects 26million people in the US, 285 million people worldwide, and is growing at epidemic proportions. The number of people who suffer impaired glucose tolerance, or pre-diabetes is an additional 79 million people in the US and 344 million worldwide. These numbers are expected to increase 20%~50% by 2030 as driven by elevated lifestyle risk factors and increasing rates of type 1 Diabetes in young people.

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, impotence, and amputations worldwide. It results in 4million deaths each year, approximately the same number as AIDS. The disturbing reality is that nearly all of these (type 1) personal tragedies are avoidable with proper monitoring of body glucose levels. In addition, the majority of type 2 diabetes can be prevented by screening, monitoring, and controlling of body glucose levels.

The diabetes epidemic adds an overwhelming burden to the health care systems, and untenable cost to healthcare payers. In the US alone, costs resulting from diabetes in 2007 were $116 Billion direct healthcare expenses, and an additional $58 billion indirect expenses such as disability, work loss, premature mortality etc. More frequent measurement of glucose levels will save lives and reduce cost... clearly, a more user friendly measurement system is needed.