Roche Diagnostics, maker of the AccuChek line of blood glucose monitors, reported on June 28 that difficulties had been discovered with certain “Advantage” and “Comfort Curve” test strips. The containers for these strips hold a desiccant in the lid—and in some cases the lid has been breaking open, leaving little balls of desiccant rolling around the bottom of the test strip vial. “You can see and hear them, little yellow-brown balls about the size of a BB,” reports Roche Customer Service. “Don’t use those strips.”
Roche reports such defective strips can read up to 250 mg/dl too high—and cause the user to overmedicate and risk hypoglycemia. All Advantage and Comfort Curve strips with an expiration date of July 30, 2007, or earlier, are potentially affected. Note: ANY test strip overexposed to water, excessive heat, or high humidity will be inaccurate and should not be trusted!
To find out more, contact Roche Customer Service: 1-800-858-8072, or visit:
www.accuchek.com