From 26 May to 1 June 2025, the UK observed Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week. This joint campaign by NHS England and Diabetes UK aimed to raise awareness about the risks of Type 2 diabetes and ways to prevent it.
The campaign also highlighted the growing global spread of Type 2 diabetes and the expanding market for Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices. These devices help people monitor blood sugar levels continuously. Many CGM products, which require skin piercing, have been available on prescription in various countries for years. In March 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first over-the-counter CGM device for adults over 18 who do not use insulin. However, none of these FDA-approved CGM devices are fully non-invasive. The search for accurate and reliable truly non-invasive glucose monitoring (NIGM) technologies remains ongoing.
In recent years, growing health awareness has led to a surge in wearable health devices. Some claim to measure blood glucose without piercing the skin. However, these devices have not been approved by the FDA. In February 2024, the FDA issued a warning:
“The FDA warns consumers, patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers about the risks of using smartwatches or smart rings that claim to measure blood glucose without piercing the skin. These differ from authorized CGM devices that require skin penetration. The FDA has not approved any smartwatch or smart ring to measure or estimate blood glucose on its own.”
Patent filings offer insight into research activity in this field. Data shows that the number of global patents related to NIGM nearly tripled from 2014 to 2023. Although the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected filings in 2020–2022, the overall trend points to a strong increase in NIGM research and development.
Since patent applications are often published about 18 months after filing, some patents from 2023 and later years may not yet be public. It will be interesting to see if 2024 and 2025 filings continue this upward trend.
Research in NIGM explores many different technologies. Recent studies use various optical methods, such as photoplethysmogram (PPG) in visible and near-infrared light, mid-infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy, and near-infrared Raman spectroscopy. Other approaches include microwave techniques.
With ongoing investment and innovation, it remains to be seen which NIGM technologies will succeed in the market. The goal is to allow people with diabetes to monitor their glucose levels painlessly, without needing to pierce the skin.
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