Roche Diabetes Care this week took a bold and potentially dangerous step into the unknown. This leading manufacturer of blood glucose meters invited 29 of us who write about diabetes to what they called the "Social Media Summit." During the past 14 years that I have specialized in writing about diabe...
Roche Diabetes Care Social Media Summit
7/25/09 8:42am
7/26/09 2:37am
I was deeply interested in your post today. It is historic and breaks new ground. Perhaps other Diabetes suppliers will follow suite. I hope so. Thanks David for a fine report. I have long felt that the Diabetes Advocates which you represent to well need to be heard by all sides of the Diabetes complex. We are still needing to see more interaction with the public and since the corporations don't seem interested to much in patient opinion I am glad to see that they are reaching out to Advocates.
7/27/09 8:58am
You know, it was exciting meeting you guys -- all 29 of you. And much of what you said reinforced what I have been saying inside Roche from day one. You know I've been preaching social media for three years. And the summit validated a notion I've had for a long time. Enterprise-level social media works when we realize that relationship building is the foundation of social engagement online. Not only is it the foundation of social engagement (on- or offline, for that matter), but it's the catalyst for social change, for movements that change the way we think and work and live.
7/27/09 9:53am
I am glad to hear that big Pharma is reaching out. I find the Aviva meter to be quite accurate meter. It is the one Dr Bernstein recommends. I use the free style for the continuous Navigator continuous BG meter. There is always a 10 to 15 point spread between the Aviva and the free style. I wonder if Roche is trying to come up with a continuous BG meter too.
Bill
7/27/09 4:23pm
i will guess that the debate became heated over the dysfunctional economics of strips- the one meter-one strip model benefits the pharmaceutical industry, much the way the one phone-one service model benefits the phone companies- this is why the meters are given out like candy (no pun intended)- it's all about the cost of strips and access for poor diabetics
7/29/09 11:53pm
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I was a penpal of June and Barbara's in the late 70's. I lived in a small town and felt very isolated with the db. Those two ladies were soooo dear and kind. I will never forget them. I also think their book Psyching Out Diabetes remains one of the best in dealing with emotional issues.