The Food and Drug Administration has cleared a smartphone application for the t:slim X2 pump.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now cleared the first insulin delivery app for smartphones. The application is from Tandem Diabetes Care for programming the company’s t:slim X2 pump.
This represents the first time the FDA has approved either an iOS or Android application for this purpose.
This represents the first time a smartphone insulin delivery app on either iOS or Android has received FDA approval, said Tandem Diabetes Care in a recent statement. Until the application received its approval, the only method available was to work through the pump itself. This latest update will make it possible for users of this pump model to program or cancel bolus doses that are taken at mealtimes and that are vital for maintaining control over blood glucose levels.
“Giving a meal bolus is now the most common reason a person interacts with their pump, and the ability to do so using a smartphone app offers a convenient and discrete solution,” explained Tandem Diabetes Care president and CEO John Sheridan in a statement announcing the FDA’s approval.
The new insulin delivery app could help to ensure the privacy and convenience of pump users.
Being able to use an application to control the pump will help to provide privacy to pump users who want to be able to change their settings without having to take them out in public settings. It will also be more convenient for users who have attached them to undergarments such as bras in order to keep them tucked away and out of sight.
Tandem Diabetes Care is headquartered in California and is a leading device company for diabetes care. The t:connect mobile application was already helping its device users to be able to track their blood sugar trends, the history of their delivery, as well as providing alarms and alerts if needed. The application is available in the United States to both Android and iOS smartphone users.
The application has now also become an insulin delivery app that will allow the pump to be controlled through a smartphone, instead of just being tracked and providing alerts. According to the company, its intention is to launch the new update to the application for bolus delivery starting this spring for select users. The rollout will then continue more broadly throughout the summer this year.
