New inexpensive paper-based device for diabetes testing in developing countries

Based on a report by Jan Lankelma, Ph.D., and colleagues in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry, the podcast is available without charge at iTunes and from www.acs.org/globalchallenges.

It explains the need for less-expensive methods to help people with diabetes monitor their blood sugar levels. The disease is surging in India, China and other areas of the world where poverty limits the availability of health care. Although existing diabetes test strips seem inexpensive, the cost can be prohibitive in those areas. To address these challenges, the researchers developed a new glucose monitor made from inexpensive materials that measures sugar levels in urine.