Tandem t:slim X2 Approved in Canada

I’m just getting to know Tandem. Can you tell me a bit more about the company?

You might have heard the rumours that there is (/will soon-we-think be) a new kid on the block in the Canadian Insulin Pump world, Tandem Diabetes.  Connected in Motion has been working with Tandem in the US for several years and are excited to share some of what we’ve learned from our experiences here with our community. Tandem focuses on innovative and a user-centric approach when it comes to the design, development and sale of their insulin pumps. They sell the t:slim X2™ Insulin Pump. You might have heard about it! It’s the touch-screen 300 unit pump that is capable of remote feature updates using a personal computer. (You might remember the blog we wrote about it!) Tandem also makes a larger, 480-unit pump for users with greater insulin needs, including our type 2 (T2) friends! 

Tandem, a San Diego-based company, really puts design and user-experience at the centre of their innovation. When they developed their first pump, they conducted thousands of interviews with people living with diabetes and their healthcare providers, and have continued using this design approach in the development of all of their products. 

Another cool thing to know about Tandem is that diabetes is all they do. Insulin pumps are not a division of a larger company. Their insulin pump has been used in artificial pancreas studies around the world.

The Details – t:slim x2

• Reservoir Size: Can hold 300 units of Rapid-Acting Insulin
• Site Specifics: Autosoft 90, Autosoft XC (formerly branded Inset), Autosoft 30, Varisoft (formerly branded Comfort), TruSteel (formerly branded Contact Detach). Read more.
• Watertight: Tested at 3 feet for 30 minutes, so their pumps are protected in the event of accidental dunks, sweat, rain, etc.
• Rechargeable Battery: The pump uses a micro-USB port to recharge. No battery changes or costs required.
• Colour Touch Screen: The touchscreen gives them the power to move buttons around through a software update to make room for new features like an interactive continuous glucose monitor (CGM) screen like they did following approval of G5 integration earlier this year.
• Dexcom G5 Integration: The t:slim X2 pump comes with built in Dexcom G5 integration. You can see your CGM readings right on the screen of the pump!*

*Note: the Dexcom G6 is not yet approved for use in Canada, but is compatible with the t:slim X2 pump

Decom G5 Integration

If you’re a current Dexcom G5 user (our next tech update will feature Dexcom and updates from their team), you’ll be happy to hear that Dexcom G5 is integrated with the Tandem t:slim X2. That means that you’ll be able to have your CGM readings head straight to your pump, no receiver needed (although you can also carry your phone to get your readings, too, if you’d like!) For the tech-savvy out there, the Dexcom G5 Mobile CGM can be paired with one medical device and one non-medical device at the same time (e.g. A t:slim X2 Pump and a mobile device running the Dexcom share app or a Dexcom G5 receiver and a mobile device running the Dexcom share app.) Now, here are the basics:

• Alarm Settings: The t:slim X2, when used with the Dexcom G5, has programmable high and low alert settings to notify you when your blood glucose is above or below your personal target range.
• Trending: Similar to the G5 receiver, the t:slim X2 has colour-coded trend lines make it easy to spot trends at a glance. You’ll also see trend arrows and your current blood glucose (BG) right on the home screen of your pump.

Recommended Reviews

Review: Tandem Diabetes t:slim X2 Insulin Pump with Dexcom G5 integration by Manny Hernandez

A 5-Month Review of the Tandem t:slim X2 by Laddie Lindahl

First Week with my Tandem t:slim X2 Insulin Pump by Sarah K @ Diabetes Daily

The Future of Diabetes Care: Tandem T-Slim X2 by Bridget Montgomery at The Diabetes Council

Read the full press release here and more about the t:slim x2 Dexcom integration here.