Two new blood glucose sensors added to the Drug Tariff

Two new blood glucose sensors, FreeStyle Libre® 3 Plus sensors and CareSens Air® Sensor have been added to the Appliances section in Part IXA of the February 2025 Drug Tariff.  At the same time, both sensors have also been included in the Drugs for which Discount is Not Deducted (DND) list (Part II of the Drug Tariff).

As both sensors can only be ordered by pharmacies directly from the manufacturers or wholesalers without any discount, Community Pharmacy England made representations to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) for these sensors to be exempt from any discount deduction to ensure that pharmacies are not faced with dispensing these at a loss.

Discontinuation of FreeStyle Libre® 2 Sensors 

Abbott Laboratories Ltd has taken the decision to phase out the FreeStyle Libre® 2 Sensors at the end of August 2025. This discontinuation does not impact FreeStyle Libre® 2 Plus, FreeStyle Libre® 3 and FreeStyle Libre® 3 Plus sensors. Abbott Laboratories has advised patients using the FreeStyle Libre® 2 Sensors to have their prescriptions amended to the FreeStyle Libre® 2 Plus Sensors as soon as possible.

FreeStyle Libre® 2 Plus sensors are not interchangeable with FreeStyle Libre 3 Sensors and require a different reader or the FreeStyle LibreLink® app to scan and receive the results. The arrangements for ordering the FreeStyle Libre 3 Sensors and FreeStyle Libre® 2 Plus sensors remain the same as for the  Freestyle Libre 2 sensors – via the Abbott Diabetes Care pharmacy ordering portal.