When shopping online, you may have seen pictures or boxes that say "Not for Retail Sale" or "Mail Order Box".

What does this mean and why are there different types of boxes for the same product?

There are 4 types of boxes:

1. USA Retail - standard box found in any store meant to be sold to consumers.
2. Mail Order - special box for mail order pharmacies to sell to consumers
3. Health Plan - special box meant for health insurance companies to sell to consumers
4. Professional - special box meant for healthcare professionals to sell to consumers
5. DME - special box meant for durable medical equipment suppliers to sell to consumers

All of these boxes contain the EXACT same product, but carry different prices. The manufacturers make them look different and label them as "Not For Retail Sale" in an effort to scare consumers into buying the most expensive box.

In our relentless mission to save you money, occasionally, we are able to source a Mail Order or Health Plan box that is cheaper than the regular retail box. When we do, we always pass this savings on to you.

The manufacturers don't want us to sell cheaper boxes, but we feel differently. Why should others get discounted prices while healthcare costs continue to rise and consumers continue to pay higher prices?

Though the picture of the product you see could be a standard retail box, the item you receive in the mail might say "Mail Order Box" or "Health Plan Box" or "Not For Retail Sale".

Please be assured you have received the EXACT same product as the retail box, with one important exception: you probably paid less for it.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask us at savemoney[AT]healthwarehouse.com.

Four Key Technical Elements

FreeStyle® systems offers the combination of four key technical elements: Coulometry, Reliable Sample Detection, Glucose Dehydrogenase, and Low Potential (Voltage) Measurement.

In fact, FreeStyle systems are the only systems to have all four technical elements and provide outstanding clinical accuracy and precision. The state of the art technology minimizes influences from many of the common factors affecting clinical results.

Coulometry

While most blood glucose monitoring systems use other technologies, which measures only a fraction of the glucose reaction signal in a blood sample, FreeStyle systems uses a technology based on coulometric measurement. Coulometry is a unique, patented, electrochemical measurement technique employed exclusively in FreeStyle technology. The benefit of the coulometric analysis is that it is unaffected by reaction rates.

It is an ideal technique for measuring a small sample size since the total accumulated charge is used to calculate glucose concentration. In fact, FreeStyle systems require the world’s smallest blood sample, just 0.3 microliter. Most leading meters use other technologies for glucose measurement, which are more challenging to adapt to smaller blood sample requirements.

Reliable Sample Detection

Reliable sample detection is an important element for system accuracy. Blood testing procedures for modern glucose meters are simple, but application of an adequate blood sample to the test strip is necessary for accurate measurements. FreeStyle systems have the ability to detect an adequate sample.

The difference between FreeStyle systems and systems without reliable sample detection is that the FreeStyle meters do not report a result when an insufficient sample is applied to the test strip. When a sufficient sample is applied, a correct result is obtained.

The test strip uses capillary action and acts like a sponge to "pull" the exact amount of blood (0.3 microliter) into the test strip. If not enough blood fills the test strip area and nothing happens, the user has up to 60 seconds to add more blood to the same sample area of the test strip.

If enough blood fills the test strip sample chamber, the meter then “beeps” indicating there is sufficient blood and begins the test.

Glucose Dehydrogenase (GDH)

A key contributor to the accuracy of FreeStyle systems is the unique enzyme and mediator combination used in the test strip. The enzyme used in the FreeStyle test strip is called Glucose Dehydrogenase (GDH). This enzyme can be used to perform electrochemical glucose measurements without interference by oxygen in the blood sample.

The commonly used enzyme in most other electrochemical strips, Glucose Oxidase (GOX), is capable of reacting with oxygen to produce interference in the measurement.

Low Potential (Voltage) Measurement

Low Potential Measurements offer a method for minimizing the interference by substances present in blood. In order for an electrochemical reaction to occur, a potential (voltage) must be applied between a working and counter electrode. The larger the applied potential, the greater the number of interfering substances that can react and produce a signal. The proprietary osmium based mediator used in the FreeStyle test strip allows the glucose reaction to occur at a low potential.

For this reason, very few substances can interfere with the FreeStyle system readings. Unlike strips that use iron-based mediators, the FreeStyle strip minimizes the effects of interfering agents such as uric acid, aspirin and acetaminophen (at elevated levels).