Posted by Ron Brenners on January 10, 1998 at 16:29:34:
In Reply to: Rip off Diasensor posted by Dennis Cardone on January 09, 1998 at 23:33:04:
Dennis,
I got involved with BioControl several years ago. My son has type I and after some 30,000 finger sticks, I said, here's the answer to one of my many prayers. Well, as you know, the answer has not come.
I personally accompanied Fred Cooper, Dave Purdy and the rest of the crew and testified before the FDA and Congress, on behalf of getting the Diasensor to market. I watched as a patient "successfully" used the Diasensor and read side-by-side readings of the Diasensor and the standard blood glucose monitor --- they were compatible.
I can not, and will not say that Fred Cooper, Dave Purdy, or anyone else at BioControl ever lied or misinterpreted results in order to defraud investors, the FDA, Congress or diabetics. What I will say, though, is more powerful. It is time to leave thre BioControls and Gluco-Watches of the world behind us.
Every dollars spent on non-invasive technology is a dollar that does not do to CURE research. Sure, sure, I know that Johnson and Johnson earns $ 1 Billion from just selling strips. Well, let them choke on their blood money. I want a CURE for my son. My son wants a CURE. Ben has been testing himself since he was 4 (he is now 12) and I found out that I was more passionate about getting non-invasive technolgy to him then he was about getting it. Ben wants a CURE!!! If he has to go through 10,000 more finger sticks to get it - then let that be the case. Let's not even waste time on worrying about the charlatans and neer-do-well's that want to bring this thing to market. If one of these things finally works, we may get one.
BUT ------------------
The diabetic community wants and needs a CURE.
PS///// For those die-hard, muck-raking, rumor dredging scoundrels that want to know the real skinny on BioControl, there is not much more I can say other than it is a great idea that is simply and engineering nightmare to get to market. If anyone of you would have the opportunity to meet with Dave Purdy, and see his commitment, well, you would get a different picture of things. As for Fred Cooper, all I can say is that he has treated me and my family with compassion and kindness. The fact of the matter is that if he can get the diasensor to market - who cares if his salary is $ 900,000 or $ 9,000,000? Do any of us care if the person who discovers the CURE for diabetes receives one billion dollras for that CURE? I think not. Maybe we should wonder why we buy so many athletic shoes and snack chips to pay the criminally high salary of our football players and baseball players and basketball players. Could we live without Michael Jordan on the courts and divert his salary to fund an islet cell CURE. GET REAL AND PUT YOUR ANGER WHERE IT BELONGS.