Has eBay stopped listing CoaguChek??

[Protimenow]

I just went to eBay, entered a search for XS, and the only XS meters were a pair of XS Plus (I guess the filter didn't catch them), parts for the XS, and Coag-Sense meters and strips.
I'm hoping that I'm the only person who found that XS stuff was missing - but it sure looks like eBay doesn't want to list these.

It's a shame. I think a lot of potential testers would be discouraged by having to pay high prices for new meters; it cuts off the sale of fully functional used meters; and I think it probably discourages new testing.

It's a public health issue that's potentially blocking people from the health benefits of self testing.

(I can walk into Walmart and buy a blood glucose meter, with strips, for about $10. I will need a prescription for Insulin if I want to do anything with the test results (aside from taking glucose if my blood sugar is too low). eBay is loaded with offers for blood glucose meters. I don't see how different it is from INR meters - you still need a prescription for warfarin. Needing a prescription for meter or strips doesn't make a lot of sense.)

I hope the absence of XS meters is a fluke and things return to normal ASAP.

 

[Protimenow]

I checked eBay using INR as the search word.

What I found were qLabs meters for about $350, and qLabs strips for about $200 for 48 strips. These aren't FDA approved, but some potential testers may go for them as an alternative to the more expensive (now) XS meters.

eBay's filter doesn't block Coag-Sense (yet), so these meters are still available (I think I have one or two - and may list these meters).

They have listings for quality control testers for the old, discontinued CoaguChek S, and even have some even older CoaguChek meters for sale.

Perhaps worst of all are the InRatio meters that they're selling.

This is a disservice to all potential testers, and quite possibly would separate the somewhat desperate 'fool' from his money.

Thanks eBay.

 

[Teapotimus]

I sold on eBay for a few years while getting through college (thousands of listings), medical devices is one of, if not the most risky category to sell on eBay. I was surprised INR meters were ever allowed on the site, eBay has a pretty clear policy on medical devices requiring a prescription. I ran afoul of this policy trying to sell a cervical neck traction device I found at a thrift store.

Do INR meters require a prescription? Every source a brief search yields seems to say they do, which would make them ineligible for sale on eBay.

 

[catwoman]

Sellers who have used eBay in the past apparently are now selling through their own websites.
I got strips last week from a seller's website that I had bought through eBay several years ago. I'm guessing others are doing the same. Price was very reasonable.

 

[Protimenow]

So here's the next set of questions, and if the moderator allows it (I may start a new thread), without endorsing or suggesting any one vendor over another, maybe we can put together a list of the places where we've been able to get meters and/or strips.

OK, I WILL start a thread, and see if it survives before being taken down.

 

[Protimenow]

This is slightly off topic, but according to one of the companies mentioned in this (or another) thread, I was told that the InRange DOES have FDA approval and IS being sold inside the U.S.

(This site offered the InRange for sale - the XS was notably missing).

 

[Nesphito]

I’ve seen that brand mentioned her before. Are other testers not as good? Will the doctor give me a different one after surgery? Or is it just hard to get one in the US healthcare system?

 

[LondonAndy]

Here in the UK we do not need a prescription for a meter, and in Europe as a whole, self testing is encouraged. We used to be able to buy directly from Roche, but now have to use an authorised distributor

Also, a reminder that the XS is now quite an old meter, and has been superseded by the INRange/Vantis model. Though having said that, the XS is still available new. I wonder if this has affected eBay availability?

 

[LondonAndy]

I’ve seen that brand mentioned her before. Are other testers not as good? Will the doctor give me a different one after surgery? Or is it just hard to get one in the US healthcare system?

In the UK only the CoaguChek range is approved and supported by our NHS

 

[3mm]

is it just hard to get one in the US healthcare system

Nesphito - I'm on Medicare, so my Coagulation Clinic (CAT) issued me a Coaguchek XS meter last month so I can self test. The CAT still tells me my Warfarin dose based on my weekly report. I was told this is standard treatment for Medicare recipients. It is a very easy process. Your situation may depend on your insurance and local medical system. This is a standard question they can answer for you.

 

[Protimenow]

The fact that the XS is an 'old' meter is pretty much irrelevant. The technology behind the XS is basically the same as the one in the Vantus and InRange. Strips for the XS and for the InRange are marketed separately, but the strips are somewhat interchangeable - strips for the InRange will work in the XS, and vice versa. I don't expect Roche to make any changes to the InRange (PT) strips for a long time -- there are too many XS meters still in use. It's possible (but perhaps not very likely) that a firmware update in the InRange, a few years from now (maybe), will render the meter unable to read the strips made for the 'old' XS, so they'll have to sell TWO different versions of the strip (they're doing that now), and issue a warning long before they discontinue the strips for the old meter that no longer work in the new meter. But this is pure speculation.

The 'old' meters work fine. There's probably not much of a reason to replace one - unless you want Bluetooth, a color display, or a charting app. Or, for some of us, the newest model of anything.

 

[LondonAndy]

The fact that the XS is an 'old' meter is pretty much irrelevant. The technology behind the XS is basically the same as the one in the Vantus and InRange. Strips for the XS and for the InRange are marketed separately, but the strips are somewhat interchangeable - strips for the InRange will work in the XS, and vice versa. I don't expect Roche to make any changes to the InRange (PT) strips for a long time -- there are too many XS meters still in use. It's possible (but perhaps not very likely) that a firmware update in the InRange, a few years from now (maybe), will render the meter unable to read the strips made for the 'old' XS, so they'll have to sell TWO different versions of the strip (they're doing that now), and issue a warning long before they discontinue the strips for the old meter that no longer work in the new meter. But this is pure speculation.

The 'old' meters work fine. There's probably not much of a reason to replace one - unless you want Bluetooth, a color display, or a charting app. Or, for some of us, the newest model of anything.

I agree with all that you say. My point was simply that if people have been buying newer models there may be fewer XS machines on the second hand market.

 

[Protimenow]

With eBay apparently stopping the sale of (nearly) all XS meters - InRange, Vantus, Pro, and Plus, and all strips, I'm not real sure that there IS a second hand market. I haven't checked everywhere, but Amazon doesn't allow XS meters or strips and eBay apparently doesn't either. I don't know, off the top of my head, WHERE to get XS or supplies on the gray market.

It's possible that the sale of of the InRange to new users - as the only option - may reduce the number of XS meters on the market. But if users like me, or long time self-testers just want the newest meter (and Medicare may pay for one), there may be more XS meters on the market if the people with the new meters want to get rid of theirs.

Also - it seemed that for the last year or so, gray market sellers apparently bought a large lot of XS meters - 'disabled' because strip guides and battery covers were removed - and probably sold for a few dollars each - wound up on eBay for $29 - $39 (some sellers were greedy and asked higher amounts) - were offered for sale. My guess was that Roche wanted to get rid of these meters and didn't expect them to be sold (and maybe some genius at Roche didn't know about eBay allowing the sale of these meters). The point of Roche dumping these meters (if they did) was to remove them from the market and making the InRange the only meter available.

With the 'dumped' XS meters now off the market on eBay, most of the sales of new meters to new users would be InRange meters.

Roche will also be the primary source of test strips - to get the strips, you'll probably have to go to a medical supplier.

Ultimately, the idea of requiring a prescription for meters and strips makes little sense. These provide data, just like blood glucose testers supply data. It takes a medical professional to write the prescription for warfarin (and probably for insulin), so abuse of either meter is prevented. I don't understand why a prescription is required for a test device.

In the off chance that the requirement for a prescription for meter and strips is revoked, perhaps we'll see these items return to eBay.

Removing XS from eBay has already had some strange consequences: if you look for INR listings on eBay, you'll find meters and strips from India (and these may not require prescriptions), and crap like InRatio meters(removed from the market by the FDA), testers for the CoaguChek S (discontinued by Roche a few years ago), even older models of CoaguChek, and other useless, irrelevant stuff. People looking for INR devices on eBay who don't know what's current and what's unusable may wind up with useless devices and have to either eat what they've paid, file disputes with the merchant, or do other unpleasant stuff to get their money back.

FWIW - Coag-Sense is still being sold on eBay, under the search term INR.

 

[Nesphito]

With eBay apparently stopping the sale of (nearly) all XS meters - InRange, Vantus, Pro, and Plus, and all strips, I'm not real sure that there IS a second hand market. I haven't checked everywhere, but Amazon doesn't allow XS meters or strips and eBay apparently doesn't either. I don't know, off the top of my head, WHERE to get XS or supplies on the gray market.

It's possible that the sale of of the InRange to new users - as the only option - may reduce the number of XS meters on the market. But if users like me, or long time self-testers just want the newest meter (and Medicare may pay for one), there may be more XS meters on the market if the people with the new meters want to get rid of theirs.

Also - it seemed that for the last year or so, gray market sellers apparently bought a large lot of XS meters - 'disabled' because strip guides and battery covers were removed - and probably sold for a few dollars each - wound up on eBay for $29 - $39 (some sellers were greedy and asked higher amounts) - were offered for sale. My guess was that Roche wanted to get rid of these meters and didn't expect them to be sold (and maybe some genius at Roche didn't know about eBay allowing the sale of these meters). The point of Roche dumping these meters (if they did) was to remove them from the market and making the InRange the only meter available.

With the 'dumped' XS meters now off the market on eBay, most of the sales of new meters to new users would be InRange meters.

Roche will also be the primary source of test strips - to get the strips, you'll probably have to go to a medical supplier.

Ultimately, the idea of requiring a prescription for meters and strips makes little sense. These provide data, just like blood glucose testers supply data. It takes a medical professional to write the prescription for warfarin (and probably for insulin), so abuse of either meter is prevented. I don't understand why a prescription is required for a test device.

In the off chance that the requirement for a prescription for meter and strips is revoked, perhaps we'll see these items return to eBay.

Removing XS from eBay has already had some strange consequences: if you look for INR listings on eBay, you'll find meters and strips from India (and these may not require prescriptions), and crap like InRatio meters(removed from the market by the FDA), testers for the CoaguChek S (discontinued by Roche a few years ago), even older models of CoaguChek, and other useless, irrelevant stuff. People looking for INR devices on eBay who don't know what's current and what's unusable may wind up with useless devices and have to either eat what they've paid, file disputes with the merchant, or do other unpleasant stuff to get their money back.

FWIW - Coag-Sense is still being sold on eBay, under the search term INR.

Is coag-sense worth it? I’m getting surgery soon and wondering if I should buy this before everything gets removed.

 

[RAS]

I suspect the $59 million settlement a couple weeks ago for violating the Controlled Substances Act caused eBay to take action to clear their US site of items that require a subscription.

The FDA classifies the Roche system (device and test strips) as class 2 which requires prescription. It would have to be reclassified as a class 1 device to be eligible for OTC sale.

I've been using an INR home test service for almost 4 years so I would not have to worry about quality or availability of supply but would prefer to buy OTC. Not aware of any changes in the works for this unfortunately.

 

[Protimenow]

The Coag-Sense used to be my meter of choice. I tested many meters - both against each other and against the labs - about a decade ago and decided at that time that I felt safer - and trusted my life - to the Coag-Sense. The results were usually below the Coag-Sense results, and the results at a good lab were often somewhere between the Coag-Sense and the XS.

There was a management change a few years ago and I'm not as confident in the meter, the company, or the strips.

If you get a Coag-Sense, it'll work for you, but be aware that for INR below about 3 or so, the results might be below those of the XS and possibly lower than the lab. I liked the Coag-Sense because it reduced the risk that my INR would drop below 2.0 (protecting me from a stroke), but I'm not as comfortable with results at the higher end.

Plus, I haven't been very happy with support (if needed). There's another step involved in running a test (not that big a deal).

l have two Coag-Sense meters - the newest ones are the nicest - but right now they're packed in storage because my house flooded and they're still fixing it. If you can't get an XS - or an affordable one - a Coag-Sense is an okay alternative.

Strips may be slightly higher than XS - but I'm not sure. (Maybe you can talk your surgeon into prescribing an InRange for you).

 

[3mm]

Is coag-sense worth it? I’m getting surgery soon and wondering if I should buy this before everything gets removed.

I suggest you talk with your insurance and providers first. I bought a Coaguchek because that is what my Coagulation Clinic said they would issue me after the Medicare mandatory 90 day wait after surgery. By purchasing the same brand I can share strips and I use the same procedure for my tests.

 

[Cris N]

I suspect the $59 million settlement a couple weeks ago for violating the Controlled Substances Act caused eBay to take action to clear their US site of items that require a subscription.

The FDA classifies the Roche system (device and test strips) as class 2 which requires prescription. It would have to be reclassified as a class 1 device to be eligible for OTC sale.

I've been using an INR home test service for almost 4 years so I would not have to worry about quality or availability of supply but would prefer to buy OTC. Not aware of any changes in the works for this unfortunately.

I agree that this is the most likely reason.

 

[Protimenow]

The eBay fine was related to pill presses, encapsulating machines, and similar devices used to make counterfeit pills.

It didn't relate to sales of INR testers or supplies, but I agree that eBay was probably spooked by the settlement and wanted to remove all products that are available by prescription. Too bad.

I wish there was a way to make these devices non-prescription, just like blood glucose testers are.

 

[LondonAndy]

I wish there was a way to make these devices non-prescription, just like blood glucose testers are.

Well most of the rest of the world manages it without requiring a prescription, so I am sure there is a way it could be done in America...