1. Can you tell us more about the Dexcom G7 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System and how it differs from other CGMs currently available on the market?
The Dexcom G7 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System is Dexcom’s newest and most advanced CGM system in terms of its proven accuracy, ease of use, and convenience.
The Dexcom G7 empowers users and simplifies diabetes management with our smallest, most intuitive real-time CGM available. One of the most significant benefits of G7 is that it requires no fingersticks* for calibration, nor does it require a user to scan, making it convenient and easy to use.
Another key feature of the G7 is its 30-minute sensor warm up time, which allows users to start using their system and receive readings more quickly and easily. The G7 also features a 12 hour grace period, giving users more time at the end of their 10 day wear-cycle to change sensor.
Overall, the Dexcom G7 is a game-changer for people with diabetes, it’s easy to get started with, easy to learn how to use and requires no fingersticks*, scanning or calibration.
2. What motivated Dexcom to launch G7 in South Africa, and what role do you see the technology playing in the management of diabetes in the country?
South Africa has one of the highest rates of diabetes in Africa, with an estimated 4.5 million people living with the condition. However, despite the high prevalence of diabetes, access to advanced diabetes management technologies like Dexcom CGM has been limited.
Dexcom is committed to expanding access to our real-time CGM technology to people with diabetes around the world. We believe that everyone with diabetes deserves access to the latest, most advanced tools and technologies to help them manage their condition and improve their quality of life.
The launch of the Dexcom G7 in South Africa therefore represents a huge step towards greater access to modern diabetes management technology across the world.. The Dexcom G7 has the potential to transform diabetes management in South Africa. By providing real-time glucose data every five minutes, 24/7, helping people manage diabetes with more confidence and make informed decisions about their treatment. Dexcom CGM use is also clinically proven to lower A1C, reduce hyper- and hypoglycaemia, and increase time in range**.
3. How does G7’s new warmup time capabilities and the elimination of the need for finger sticks benefit patients with diabetes. What kind of feedback have you received from early adopters of this technology?
The new warm up time capabilities and zero fingersticks* are advancements that can positively benefit people with diabetes who use the Dexcom G7 CGM system. The G7’s warm up time has been reduced to just 30minutes. This means that users can start receiving glucose data more quickly and can begin to benefit from the advantages of real-time continuous glucose monitoring sooner.
By eliminating the need for routine fingersticks* for calibration and/or treatment decisions, the Dexcom G7 offers a more convenient and less invasive way for people with diabetes to monitor their glucose numbers. This can have a truly positive impact on the way South Africans living with diabetes, especially those who may be apprehensive about fingersticks or who find them painful or uncomfortable
We have received wonderfully positive feedback from early adopters of the Dexcom G7 technology. We believe that the new features we’ve worked so hard to develop really will benefit those living with diabetes, their loved ones, and care teams.
4. Can you speak to the collaboration between Dexcom and VitalAire Diabetes in bringing G7 to South Africa, and how this partnership is expected to impact access to and the adoption of the technology?
The collaboration between Dexcom and VitalAire Diabetes in bringing G7 to South Africa is expected to have a significant impact on access to and the adoption of the technology. VitalAire Diabetes has been working with Dexcom for seven years and has already helped a significant number of South Africans living with Type 1 diabetes to access Dexcom’s real-time CGM technology.
By partnering with VitalAire Diabetes, we are able to leverage its strong network of healthcare professionals and diabetes educators who can help patients understand how to use the device and incorporate it into their diabetes management plan. We’re proud to be able to offer them the G7, which has fewer components than the G6 and is easier to get started with and easy to use.
Our goal is to make CGM more accessible to people living with diabetes, and we are delighted to be working with VitalAire Diabetes to achieve this. We believe that by working together, we can help improve the lives of people living with diabetes in South Africa.
5. According to International Diabetics Federation, currently, 24 million adults are living with diabetes in Africa. This figure is estimated to increase to 33 million by 2030 and 55 million by 2045 a projected rise of 129%. Many people with diabetes across Africa remain undiagnosed and untreated with the region accounting for the world’s highest mortality rates due to the disease. With this in mind, does Dexcom plan to increase the availability of G7 across the continent?
Dexcom is continuing to work to find ways to make its product more accessible to the hundreds of millions of people with diabetes globally, including those in the Africa region. This effort includes our advocacy efforts through clinical evidence, as well as partnerships with industry colleagues, insulin providers, and non-profit organizations. Through this comprehensive access to healthcare strategy, which can be found in greater detail in Dexcom’s 2023 Sustainability Report (pages 34-41) we will continue to push for broader access across the African continent in the future.
*If your glucose alerts and readings do not match symptoms or expectations, use a blood glucose meter to make diabetes treatment decisions.**Results obtained with a prior generation Dexcom CGM system