Reported Reactions

Adverse event reports that FDA received

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FreeStyle Lite medical device reports that FDA received

Name type
Device brand name, as written on reports
Generic name
Blood glucose monitoring system
Device type
System, test, blood glucose, over the counter (product code NBW)
Manufacturer given most often on reports
Abbott Diabetes Care

What a report is

A report is not proof that the device was the cause of the event.

FDA says:

Adverse event reports submitted to FDA do not undergo extensive validation or verification. Therefore, a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report. While a suspected relationship may exist, it is not medically validated and should not be the sole source of information for clinical decision making or other assumptions about the safety or efficacy of a product. Additionally, it is important to remember that adverse event reports represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product. Common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product.

Source: openFDA, Device Adverse Event Overview, section "Responsible use of the data". The site read the page on . The data have the reports that FDA received through .

FDA also says:

Although MDRs are a valuable source of information, this passive surveillance system has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data. In addition, the incidence or prevalence of an event cannot be determined from this reporting system alone due to potential under-reporting of events and lack of information about frequency of device use.

Source: openFDA, Device Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices.

Source: openFDA, Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience. The site read the page on .

Do not rely on openFDA to make decisions regarding medical care. While we make every effort to ensure that data is accurate, you should assume all results are unvalidated.

Source: openFDA, Response of the drug event API (meta.disclaimer). The site read the page on .

Not medical advice. This site counts what was reported to FDA. Questions about a medicine or device belong with a pharmacist or clinician.

Reports on file

From October 2007 to September 2026, FDA received 12,267 medical device reports that name the brand FreeStyle Lite. A brand name is as the reporter or the manufacturer wrote it, so one product can have more than one spelling.

FDA received 417 reports in the 12 months to September 2026 and 189 in the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data every month. Reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

Of the 3,444,740 device reports that FDA received in the 12 months to September 2026, 417 (under 0.1%) name the brand FreeStyle Lite. Manufacturer reports were 99.9% of the reports that name this brand and 94.9% of all device reports.

The number of people who use the product is not in the data. A count is not a rate. A count of reports is not a count of events or of patients, because one event can have more than one report.

What an MDR is

A medical device report: one submission to FDA about one event. It has the brand name, the generic name, the manufacturer, the product code, the event type and coded problems. Manufacturers and user facilities must send reports.

Data version

openFDA MAUDE release of 23 Oct 2026. Reports received through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

FDA says:

MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices.

Source: openFDA, Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience. The site read the page on .

The latest update of the FDA data, recorded on , changed no count of this page.

  • In April to June 2026, FDA received 130 reports that name the brand FreeStyle Lite.
  • In January to March 2026, FDA received 98.
  • In April to June 2025, FDA received 71.

April to June 2026 is the latest closed quarter in the data. A closed quarter is a quarter for which the FDA files have most of the reports.

All updatesFeed of updates (RSS)

Event types by year

The event type is the classification that the reporter gave. The four terms are FDA's.

FDA says:

MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices.

Source: openFDA, Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience. The site read the page on .

Reports that name FreeStyle Lite, by event type and by the year in which FDA received them

The table continues to the right.

YearReportsDeathInjuryMalfunctionOtherNot given
200715051000
200820206313900
200981909472410
2010460012733300
2011318014217600
201227418718600
201320817313400
2014325111221200
201594907387600
20162,0430801,96300
20171,7750491,72600
20181,6200621,55800
20191,3440751,26900
20201,0910521,03900
2021680422600
2022580332500
2023520351700
2024490252400
20252670126600
20263300232800

An event type in a report is not proof that the device was the cause. FDA does not verify the event type.

Malfunction

A malfunction report says that the device did not do what it was made to do. It can be with or without harm to a person.

Reports by month

Reports that name FreeStyle Lite, by month, five years to September 2026
05010020222023202420252026

FDA releases MAUDE data every month. Reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

Event type and report source

Event type in all reports that name FreeStyle Lite
Event typeReportsShareShare as a bar
Death3under 0.1%
Injury1,23210%
Malfunction11,03189.9%
Other1under 0.1%
Not given00%
Source of the reports that name FreeStyle Lite
Report sourceReportsShareShare as a bar
Manufacturer report12,25799.9%
Voluntary report100.1%
User facility report00%
Distributor report00%
Not given00%

Each share is of the 12,267 reports that name this brand, not of the devices in use.

Device problems coded

Device problem codes in the reports that name FreeStyle Lite
Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Failure to power up8,90972.6%
Incorrect or inadequate test results1,1989.8%
Incorrect, inadequate or imprecise result or readings5214.2%
Low test results5094.1%
High test results2261.8%
Device displays incorrect message1621.3%
Unable to obtain readings1381.1%
Device operates differently than expectedthe device behaved unexpectedly900.7%
Low readingsreadings were too low890.7%
No device output750.6%
Nonstandard device740.6%
High readingsreadings were too high620.5%
False reading from device non-compliance600.5%
No display/image600.5%
Insufficient device problem information470.4%
Device inoperablethe device could not be used350.3%
Battery problema problem with the battery290.2%
Loss of powerthe device lost power260.2%
Improper or incorrect procedure or method160.1%
Product quality problem160.1%

These are the device problem codes of FDA, as written on the report. One report can have more than one code. The table leaves out general codes such as "no apparent adverse event".

Patient problems coded

Patient problem codes in the reports that name FreeStyle Lite
Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Hypoglycemialow blood sugar5204.2%
Loss of consciousnesspassing out5044.1%
Hyperglycemiahigh blood sugar4884%
Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness2922.4%
Shaking/tremors1551.3%
Sweating1291.1%
Seizures1020.8%
Weakness930.8%
Confusion/ disorientation870.7%
Treatment with medication(s)860.7%
Headachehead pain850.7%
Therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional790.6%
Blurred vision670.5%
Hospitalization required600.5%
Elevated ketones/ diabetic ketoacidosis580.5%

Patient problem codes are mainly in reports sent since 2019, and the field is often empty.

Pages near this one

These links are for navigation. No count selected them. The page of the device type lists each brand name with product code NBW.

Official pages

The site checked these addresses on . The links open in a new tab.

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Reported Reactions. FreeStyle Lite: medical device reports that FDA received. https://reportedreactions.com/device/freestyle-lite/ Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) files, release of . Reports received through .

Where the data come from

The counts come from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk files, release of 23 Oct 2026. The files have the reports that FDA received through 30 Sep 2026. Brand names, generic names and manufacturer names are as written on the reports. The names of the product codes come from the device classification of FDA.

A report is in the count when a device in it has this brand name, after the site removes differences of punctuation and capital letters. The site does not publish a report narrative, a lot number, a detail of a patient or the identity of a reporter. The record of FDA is the authority. See how the site counts reports, the data sources and the corrections page.

Questions

Do these reports show that FreeStyle Lite was at fault?

No. FDA says:

The submission of an MDR itself does not necessarily demonstrate that the device caused or contributed to the adverse outcome or event.

Source: FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health, About Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) Database. Content current as of . The site read the page on .

Confirming whether a device actually caused a specific event can be difficult based solely on information provided in a given report.

Source: openFDA, Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience. The site read the page on .

What event types do the reports record?

Death (3), injury (1,232), malfunction (11,031) and other (1). The event type is the classification that the reporter gave: death, injury, malfunction or other. FDA does not verify it.

Who sent these reports?

Manufacturer reports (99.9%) and voluntary reports (0.1%). These are the sources of the reports that name this brand.

Some reports come directly from user facilities (like hospitals) or device importers (distributors), while others come directly from manufacturers.

Source: openFDA, Device Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

How does a person report a problem with a medical device?

FDA runs MedWatch, a program that takes voluntary reports about medical devices. The guide on how to report has the links.