There has long been the debate of whether people with diabetes can use expired test strips. So, can you?Rather than simply answering yes or no, it is important to first understand what exactly a test strip is, and why the argument over expiration first came to pass.The key aspect is enzymes. Enzymes, which are proteins made by cells in all living organisms, coat the end of the strip, which is made of plastic.
These enzymes are either glucose oxidase or glucose dehydrogenase.The enzyme reacts with the glucose in a person’s blood and converts it into an electrical current. Upon the electricity being sent through the strip, the glucose concentration is presented by the blood glucose meter.Here’s the thing, though. Enzymes break down over time.The activity of enzymes can decrease following exposure to humidity or extreme temperatures. This can alter the accuracy of glucose readings long before a scheduled expiration date.Subsequently, errors can begin to appear with rogue readings of either a high or low nature. Because the enzymes break down, manufacturers therefore place an expiration date on the strips.This is a necessity for manufacturers. Even if they are confident the strips will display accurate readings for x amount of time, one faulty test strip could lead to a diabetic patient making a management decision that could cost them their lives.The dates may differ depending on how the strips are made.
Prices shown below are for products with expiration date of 01/20 or later. Accu-Chek Aviva Plus Retail Qty. Accu-Chek Aviva Plus. Although you may have not compromised the number of test strips within the tubes or damaged them, we have no way to verify that they haven’t been tampered with and therefore cannot accept them. Roche Recalls Accu-Chek Diabetes Test Strips July 19, 2018 Manufacturer Roche has issued a voluntary recall of Accu-Chek Aviva Plus test strips used to measure blood sugar and help patients manage their diabetes.
The use of different enzymes can provide greater accuracy with a shorter life or vice versa. Some companies may go for the cheapest alternatives.
We compared OneTouch Ultra Blue Test Strips that were 7 months past the expiration date to current OneTouch Ultra Blue Test Strips. We DO NOT recommend using expired test strips.The expired test strips were sealed up until the day this video was made and were stored properly.I believe some test strips and/or some meters will not even allow expired test strips to be used, but in this case it allowed us. We did not change the date on the meter, the meter was today's date.Everyone with Type 1 Diabetes deserves a cure.Donate to the Diabetes Research Institute @.