Smart insulin pens and pen caps
What are smart insulin pens and pen caps?
Smart insulin pens and pen caps are devices used to track insulin doses for people who use insulin pens to take multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin.
Like conventional insulin pens, they can be used to administer and track certain long- or rapid-acting insulin.
How do smart insulin pen caps work?
Smart insulin pens and pen caps pair with corresponding smartphone apps that allow a person with diabetes to keep track of insulin doses, blood-glucose levels (via data from a compatible CGM or blood-glucose meter), as well as receive reminders, alerts, and reports.
What are the benefits of using a smart insulin pen or pen cap?
Smart insulin pens and pen caps have many features that can make managing T1D easier, including:
- Built-in insulin dose calculators that simplify insulin dosing.
- Alerts to help prevent skipped or missed doses
- Automatically track the time and amount of every dose.
- Reminders for the next insulin dose
- Alerts about expired insulin or heat exposure
- Simplified data sharing with your healthcare team at any time
- Ability to sync with smartphones or watches, as well as popular diabetes data-tracking platforms
Smart insulin pens and pen caps available in the U.S.*
The following are FDA-approved smart insulin pens and pen caps available for use in the U.S.:
| Device name | More information |
|---|---|
| Bigfoot™ Unity | https://www.bigfootbiomedical.com/bigfoot-unity |
| Lilly Tempo™ | https://www.lillytempo.com |
| Medtronic InPen™ | https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/products/inpen-smart-insulin-pen-system |
More T1D tech
Insulin pumps are small, wearable devices programmed with individualized settings to deliver insulin into the body. Combined with a CGM, they can also measure blood-glucose levels and adjust insulin dosage automatically.
CGMs are small, wearable devices that continuously measure a person’s blood-glucose levels. They are used in place of finger sticks.
Health Insurance Guide
If you think a smart insulin pen or pen cap might be right for you, speak with your healthcare provider. Consult the Breakthrough T1D Health Insurance Guide to learn about insurance coverage for T1D management tools and therapies.
