Kilkenny TD hails new medical device as "game changer"

Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere has been informed by the Health Service Executive that Simplera is now available to all diabetic patients in Ireland. 

As of February 1, the product has been approved and added to the Reimbursement List.

Simplera is a continuous glucose monitoring system that provides real time sugar values through the Simplera app, with users able to watch trends and track patterns in their sugar levels.

Deputy Cleere has hailed this as a ‘game changer’ for diabetic patients, whilst pointing towards its introduction on the Drug Payment Scheme and on the Medical Card.

Speaking on its introduction, Deputy Cleere said: “I am absolutely delighted to be informed by the HSE that Simplera is now available to diabetic patients via the Drug Payment Scheme and on Medical Card.

"I know firsthand the difficulties experienced by diabetic patients. My daughter, who is fifteen, has Type 1 Diabetes. Simplera seems to be smaller and much more discreet and is easier to change with no tape cover needed. There are no finger pricks required either, which is great. The old guardian sensor that it is replacing needed two a day.

"We must now prioritise how we can distribute this product to patients as efficiently as possible. This new sensor will make life that little bit easier for patients.

“The evolution of healthcare for diabetic patients has been fantastic over recent years, and I am confident that this announcement will come as great relief for many Type 1 Diabetic patients, both in my constituency and across the country,” he said.