Noninvasive glucose monitoring systems: will we ever have such sensors for practical use?
It is still the dream of patients with diabetes and diabetologists to be able to monitor glucose changes in the human body over prolonged periods of time without hurting the patients, i.e. without having the need to break the skin barrier. This commentary tries to highlight why we should invest more brain power and money in this area of research while also raising the following critical question: Can we be sure that a reliable system for noninvasive glucose monitoring will ever be possible? Finally, I propose establishing an international working group for glucose monitoring. Such an independent group of researchers (which would not focus on noninvasive approaches only) might be very instrumental in bringing a critical and constructive approach in this area of research forward.
Heinemann
Lutz
L
Institute for Metabolic Research, Neuss, Germany. lutz.heinemann@profl-research.de