I keep seeing statements in diabetes support groups along the lines of “I can’t get strips for my Aviva meter any more: what meter should I get instead?”
However, the Accu-Chek BG strips are still available. I bought some just yesterday for one of my meters, and the box is shown above.
There is a lot of confusion about this. The pharmacist I spoke to said “I think they’ve been discontinued. The meter for them has been discontinued, at least.” But when they checked their computer there were literally thousands of boxes of strips in their warehouse!
The Aviva family
In fact, there’s never just been “the Aviva meter”. As can be seen on the box above, there have been a range of meters in the Aviva family:
Aviva. The plain meter. In fact I think there’s been more than one version of this.- Aviva Nano. A smaller version.
- Aviva Connect. I have one of these. In many ways it’s the precursor to the Accu-Chek Guide, with a Bluetooth connection to software including MySugr.
Aviva Combo. This has been the remote control for the Spirit Combo pump (with integrated Aviva meter) at least in Europe. In Australia we have the identical-looking Performa Combo instead.- Aviva Expert. This looks like the Aviva Combo, but has a bolus advisor in it for MDI users to calculate insulin doses. It’s the meter which was discontinued in late 2019. I have several of these in my collection. Information is available on the Aviva Expert page at accu-chek.com.au.
- Aviva Insight. This is the remote control for the Insight pump (used in Europe).
Aviva Solo. This is the remote control for the Solo patch pump, and is a current product in Australia!
Too many people have heard that “the Aviva [Expert] meter has been discontinued” and assumed the strips are also unavailable. This is not true!
But the end is coming
It’s true that there does seem to be an end-of-life for the Aviva system coming up. It does make sense for Accu-Chek to simply their ranges of BG strips (Aviva, Performa, Guide, Instant) and the oldest (and possibly least accurate) technology would seem the likeliest to go.
Information overseas seems to indicate the strips may be available until late 2022, but the information on accu-chek.com.au simply says:
Accu-Chek Aviva test strips will continue to be available from your pharmacy.
We have to assume that some transition for the Aviva Solo meter is in the works. Possibly a Performa Combo, but also possibly just relying on other meters/CGMs separate from the remote control function. Time will tell. Unlike the Aviva Combo meter, the Aviva Solo does allow you to manually input BG values.
But for now the Aviva lives on.
If you have an Aviva Expert (one of the few meters with a bolus advisor for MDI) you shouldn’t have to get rid of it just yet.
The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.
— Mark Twain, 1897
Hey I still like the Acu-Chk compact. But what do I know? LOL
The glide is fairly good meter but I am still trying to get rid of strips for the Next Contour. those things will be worth a mint in about ,,, wait going to be? I dont think so. They are worth a mint.
You’re in the US aren’t you Rick? Here in Australia the strips for all meters covered by the National Diabetes Services Scheme are subsidised to a standard price.