Diabetes continues to be one of the main public health problems in Mexico, affecting more than 14.6 million Mexicans, according to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP). This chronic disease has a profound social and economic impact as it is the second cause of death among Mexican men and women, presenting 30,501 deaths in the first quarter of 2024 alone.
As part of World Diabetes Day, which this year has the motto “Breaking barriers, closing gaps”, Roche reaffirms its commitment to closing diagnostic gaps with diagnostic devices that go where the patient needs them (point of care). ); with monitoring equipment that allows breaking down knowledge barriers and with solutions that allow complications such as diabetic macular edema (DME) to be treated in a timely and effective manner.
Roche, as a global leader in personalized and comprehensive diabetes management, is committed to easing the daily burden of people living with diabetes and their caregivers; and provide health professionals with the information and solutions necessary for adequate management of the disease that improves the quality of life of patients.
Diagnosis of diabetes at the point of care (Point of Care) is a valuable tool in the Roche Diagnóstica portfolio that allows the disease to be detected quickly (6 minutes) and efficiently. Using portable and easy-to-use devices, health professionals can perform glycosylated hemoglobin tests in the office, which, as an indicator of glucose levels over the last 4 months, allows obtaining accurate and reliable results to diagnose this disease. .
This facilitates early identification of diabetes and allows appropriate treatment to be started immediately. Point-of-care diagnosis reduces the need for multiple laboratory visits and improves accessibility to health services, especially in rural or resource-limited areas. With the availability of these technologies, more timely and personalized care can be offered to patients.
Blood glucose monitoring is essential for the control of Diabetes, since its accuracy is key to making therapeutic decisions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the importance of glucose monitoring devices in the management of diabetes, underlining their role in preventing serious complications and adjusting treatments in real time.
These devices allow patients to measure their blood glucose levels accurately, which is crucial for adapting their diet, insulin and physical activity to their daily needs and keeping their health under control. In addition, it is crucial to ensure quality diabetes education for patients and health personnel, access to essential medications and technologies, and have effective information systems for disease surveillance. At Roche we have glucose monitoring solutions to help people living with diabetes manage their condition effectively. Some of its main solutions include:
- Accu-Chek: Easy-to-Use Glucometers and Test Strips
- Accu-Chek Connect: Connect your glucometer with mySugr, a customizable diabetes management app that brings together key data in one place.
- Accu-Chek 360: Management system with statistics and reports
Eduardo Conrad, Medical Affairs Manager at Roche Diagnóstica México, comments: “Our mission is to make glucose monitoring a simple and accessible activity for all patients, so that they can have the necessary control over their health. “Precision monitoring not only improves clinical outcomes, but also reduces the burden of disease on the healthcare system and improves patients’ quality of life.” According to studies, between 30% and 36% of people with diabetes in Mexico develop some form of retinopathy. Diabetic macular edema is recognized as one of the leading causes of visual loss in patients with diabetic retinopathy.
The alteration that defines the appearance of diabetic macular edema is the accumulation of excess fluid within the retina in the macular area. The macula makes vision sharper and more detailed, so its alteration causes a decrease in visual acuity. This complication, if not detected and treated in time, leads to irreversible blindness.
In this context, explains Dr. Irene Pérez, Medical Manager of the ophthalmology area at Roche Farma México: “For more than a year, the arrival of Vabysmo® to Mexico represented a new opportunity for patients living with diabetic macular edema. and wet age-related macular degeneration. This new treatment improves vision quickly and offers you the possibility of reducing the number of injections the patient currently receives.
Although it is the treating retinologist or ophthalmologist who will decide the appropriate dosing schedule for each patient. Losing vision due to diabetes is not normal. We have to stop normalizing this condition. The vision of patients living with diabetes is our priority.” These solutions are part of Roche’s commitment to offering effective options to manage diabetes complications and preserve vision health.
