Have you heard the recent buzz regarding new gadgets and designer equipment for diabetics?
A recent article in Business Week discusses the new look of insulin pumps, that look sleek and modern, much like a pager, and is not only helping people with diabetes look more hip (think about the teenagers, and older adults for that matter, who hate calling attention to themselves wearing a pump!), it is not just about vanity or fashion: a recent study found that the diabetics using designer pumps (like MiniMed) "experienced a 70% less therapy-related dissatisfaction than patients using multiple injection therapy to manage their glucose levels." So, not only do these insulin pumps look good, they are also user-friendly.
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/sep2007/id20070921_545251.htm
Other equipment, such as a glucose monitor and testing supplies, even have their own designer bag now, instead of the only choice being the guaranteed-to-get-lost-in-your-purse-midnight-black:
http://tudiabetes.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=stickme
I was pretty excited when I saw these, as my mother-in-law added neon-yellow electrical tape to her black bag, in order to find it in her purse. Now, I can buy her a neon-yellow paisley designer bag!
Also, when I was pregnant with my son, I found out that I had gestational diabetes. I was working full-time, and did not want everyone to know that I had this condition, at every meeting that I went to. I would often have to excuse myself from a meeting to go to the bathroom (an easy feat when you're pregnant!), but then have to hide my "little black bag" and quickly test my blood sugar before anyone else came into the bathroom. It would have been nice to have a designer bag that just looked like a makeup bag, and there would be less questions and hiding!
What do you think of these gadgets and products, as well as industries "designing for diabetics"? Do you think these nice-looking items are helpful, or just another gimmick for designers to make a quick buck?