BOSTON, Aug. 18 -- For years, needles have been associated with the pain and hassle of monitoring blood sugar levels for diabetes, which is on the rise in this country. New devices are now being developed that may make the needles obsolete. These innovations promise to make monitoring easier and thus reduce such side effects as blindness, kidney disease and circulatory problems. The latest research on noninvasive and minimally invasive blood glucose monitoring will be the subject of a daylong symposium and subsequent panel discussion at the 224th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.
The symposium begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Sheraton Boston, Back Bay Ballroom D, followed by a panel discussion at 4:15 p.m. A few highlights from the symposium, which will feature almost a dozen papers, are described below.
When exposed to a special excitation light, the molecules fluoresce to reflect the intensity of the glucose levels, which can then be read by a detector. (This paper, ANYL 22, will be presented at 3:15 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 18, at Sheraton Boston, Back Bay Ballroom D.)