Dexcom Stelo to be first prescription-free CGM

Back at CES 2024, we wrote about the Dexcom Stelo – a new continuous glucose monitor (CGM) aimed at pre-diabetics and Type 2 sufferers.

Stelo has now been cleared by the FDA and will be the first over-the-counter CGM available in the US without a prescription.

Stelo is a pared-back version of the Dexcom G7, and dispenses with features such as the built-in alarm to keep costs down.

So what does this mean? First off, it will open up blood glucose insights to more people who can benefit from them.

There are millions of “pre-diabetics” in the US alone, who could benefit from getting accurate blood glucose feedback, but don’t qualify for CGMs via health insurance.

We spoke to Dexcom at CES, and COO Jake Leach revealed that a key aim of Stelo is to bring the cost of CGMs down:

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While today’s announcement doesn’t reveal how much a Stelo unit will cost over the counter, getting these down to an affordable level will be key:

“I think most people figured for Stelo are going to be folks that are scared about diabetes progressing,” Jake Leach, told Wareable at CES 2024.

“It's going to be competitively priced with what's already out there. That's the idea. It’s a more accurate system, specifically designed and purpose-built for this group, and so we're really excited about getting it out there.”

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“Use of CGM can help empower people with diabetes to understand the impact of different foods and activity on their glucose values,” said Dr. Tamara Oser, MD, Family Physician.

“For people newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or not taking insulin, these devices are often not covered by insurance and Stelo presents an opportunity to provide valuable information that can impact their diabetes management.”

It also remains to be seen whether third-party services such as Levels, Nutrisense, and January will support Stelo.

Most of those services supply an Abbott FreeStyle Libre – so offering the ability for people to choose a cheaper CGM could be powerful, and start driving down the cost of these services.