Wearable patch could help diabetics

A small, wearable patch that monitors and regulates blood glucose levels could be the answer for people with diabetes who hate having their finger pricked.

Scientists from South Korea have developed a graphene-based patch that detects high blood sugar levels in mice through their sweat and then delivers the drug, metformin, through the skin to regulate glucose.

Dae-Hyeong Kim and his colleagues added gold particles to graphene and combined it with a gold mesh to create a flexible, semi-transparent patch.

The patch contains sensors that detect humidity, glucose, pH and temperature.

When high sugar levels are detected, heaters embedded in the patch trigger micro-needles to dissolve their coat to release metformin through the skin.

Scientists say detecting glucose in sweat may be a potential alternative to finger pricking, which can be painful.

But they note the drug delivery components of the patch will need to be scaled up before it can be trialled with humans.