Reported Reactions

Devices › Glucose dehydrogenase, glucose

Device brand name · Blood glucose monitoring system

Freestyle: medical device reports filed with FDA

9,490 reports name it, 2001–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Abbott Diabetes Care USA. Product code LFR.

9,490
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 377 a year
26
reports, 12 months to August 2026
31 in the 12 months before
85.8%
classified as malfunction
93% across the product code
0.1%
classified as death, as reported
14 reports · not verified by FDA

9,490 medical device reports received by FDA name the brand "Freestyle" (blood glucose monitoring system); the manufacturer given most often on reports is Abbott Diabetes Care USA; received from May 2001 to August 2026. Brand names are as the reporter or manufacturer wrote them, so one product can appear under several spellings.

26 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, down 16% from 31 in the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases. The event types recorded are malfunction (85.8%), injury (14%) and death (0.1%); across all glucose dehydrogenase, glucose reports (product code LFR) death is recorded in 0% and malfunction in 93%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are use of incorrect control/treatment settings (40.6%), loss of data (13.9%) and incorrect or inadequate test results (13.5%). The patient problems coded most often are therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional, treatment with medication(s) and hospitalization required. FDA states that "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." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Reports by month, five years

047Sep 2021: 3Oct 2021: 3Nov 2021: 4Dec 2021: 22022Jan 2022: 1Feb 2022: 3Mar 2022: 1Apr 2022: 3May 2022: 5Jun 2022: 4Jul 2022: 3Aug 2022: 4Sep 2022: 3Oct 2022: 2Nov 2022: 2Dec 2022: 42023Jan 2023: 2Feb 2023: 2Mar 2023: 6Apr 2023: 4May 2023: 2Jun 2023: 4Jul 2023: 5Aug 2023: 7Sep 2023: 6Oct 2023: 5Nov 2023: 5Dec 2023: 22024Jan 2024: 5Feb 2024: 1Mar 2024: 1Apr 2024: 5May 2024: 4Jun 2024: 4Jul 2024: 4Aug 2024: 1Sep 2024: 5Oct 2024: 6Nov 2024: 4Dec 2024: 02025Jan 2025: 3Feb 2025: 3Mar 2025: 0Apr 2025: 0May 2025: 4Jun 2025: 4Jul 2025: 1Aug 2025: 1Sep 2025: 4Oct 2025: 4Nov 2025: 4Dec 2025: 22026Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 1Mar 2026: 4Apr 2026: 4May 2026: 0Jun 2026: 0Jul 2026: 2Aug 2026: 1

Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

By year received

02,6645,3272001: 4920012002: 1302003: 1462004: 44820042005: 3422006: 4012007: 5,32720072008: 2302009: 1,3982010: 5220102011: 242012: 82013: 1220132014: 4052015: 662016: 4120162017: 502018: 662019: 5520192020: 412021: 322022: 3520222023: 502024: 402025: 3020252026: 12

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death0.1%14
Injury14%1,326
Malfunction85.8%8,143
Other0%4
Not given0%3

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report99.8%9,472
Voluntary report0.2%16
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0%2

Grey bar: all 74,282 reports carrying product code LFR. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Use of incorrect control/treatment settings3,85140.6%17.6%
Loss of data1,31513.9%6.6%
Incorrect or inadequate test results1,27713.5%25.8%
Device displays incorrect message9139.6%3.8%
Computer operating system problem8198.6%3.4%
Battery problema problem with the battery7127.5%3%
Reset problem7117.5%3%
Device issuea problem with the device4725%2.2%
High test results4494.7%4%
Malfunction3343.5%1.6%
Nonstandard device2772.9%0.4%
Insufficient device problem information2442.6%0.3%
Computer software problema software problem2142.3%0.9%
Low test results2092.2%1.6%
Computer hardware error2082.2%0.9%
Low readingsreadings were too low1831.9%0.3%
Self-activation or keying1501.6%0.6%
Failure to power up1361.4%0.3%
No display/image1191.3%0.8%
Battery failure931%0.5%

FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report; one report can carry several. Generic codes such as "no apparent adverse event" are left out.

Patient problems coded

Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional4875.1%
Treatment with medication(s)4544.8%
Hospitalization required3804%
Hypoglycemialow blood sugar3043.2%
Loss of consciousnesspassing out2923.1%
Blood glucose, low2853%
Hyperglycemiahigh blood sugar1361.4%
Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness1331.4%
Seizures1131.2%
Aortic valve insufficiency/ regurgitation1121.2%
Sweating1051.1%
Blood glucose, high1011.1%
Shaking/tremors921%
Aortic valve stenosis830.9%
Other (for use when an appropriate patient code cannot be identified)580.6%

Patient problem codes are present mainly in reports filed since 2019 and are often blank.

In context

MeasureFreestyleProduct code LFRAll MAUDE reports
Reports9,49074,28226,136,888
Share of that pool—12.8%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports109
Classified as injury14%6.9%36.2%
Classified as malfunction85.8%93%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer99.8%99.8%94.9%

Shares are of reports, not of devices in use. FDA states that "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." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Other brands with product code LFR

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
Freestyle Flash19,42200%
Accu-Chek Comfort Curve Test Strips13,06500%
Accu-Chek Aviva Test Strips11,07300%
Accu-Chek Compact Test Drum7,57900%
Accu-Chek Aviva Plus Test Strips7,94700%
Accu-Chek Mobile Test Strips3,52700%
Accu-Chek Performa Test Strips3,88610%
Accu-Chek Active Test Strips1,47500%
Accu-Chek Comfort Curve4,12000.6%
FreeStyle Lite12,2444300%
Freestyle Freedom3,43060%
Accu-Chek Guide7723650%
Accu-Chek Smartview Test Strips99300%
Freestyle Navigator75400%
Accu-Chek Compact Plus Test Drum76900%

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that "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." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA also states that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product."

Questions about Freestyle reports

How many FDA reports name Freestyle?

9,490 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 26 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (85.8%), injury (14%) and death (0.1%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

use of incorrect control/treatment settings (40.6%), loss of data (13.9%), incorrect or inadequate test results (13.5%), device displays incorrect message (9.6%) and computer operating system problem (8.6%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (99.8%) and voluntary reports (0.2%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Freestyle was at fault?

No. FDA states that "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." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA adds that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report."

How do I report a problem with a medical device?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 for health professionals and consumers), or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 31 Aug 2026. Brand, generic and manufacturer names are as written on the reports; product code names come from FDA's device classification. A report counts here when any device it lists carries this brand name after punctuation and capitalisation are normalised. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.