Background
Type-1 diabetes is a disease that affects the production of insulin in the body, requiring strenuous monitoring of glucose levels in order to prevent severe symptoms eventually ending in death. With the rise of solutions to produce insulin reminiscent of synthetic biology, the production of insulin is no longer problematic in developed countries; however, glucose monitoring is and continues to be a source of financial trouble for many people with Type-1 diabetes.
The current solution for measuring blood sugar involves the use of a blood sugar monitor and expensive test strips. The problem with this system is that it is expensive, monitors cost from 10 to 50$ and test stips-1.38 $/strip (One Touch Ultra)1. Furthermore, diabetics are recommended to take their blood sugar at least five times a day and these test strips are not reusable. This means the approximate cost of glucose monitoring is 2528.5$ per year (assuming new glucose monitor every three years). In addition, for developing countries, this cost does not reflect the cost of insulin, which may be an even greater burden to persons suffering Type-1 diabetes.
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