Press Releases

• Adults with Type 2 diabetes using a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system, including Libre technology, had a 45% lower risk of death at 12 months and a 36% lower risk at 24 months compared with non-users¹
• Separate study reinforced these findings, showing acute diabetes-event hospitalizations were nearly halved among adults with Type 2 diabetes on basal insulin who used Libre technology²

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Sept. 27, 2026 – Abbott, the global leader in diabetes technology and biowearables,³ today announced new data showing that the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), including Libre technology, was associated with a lower risk of death and cardiovascular complications among adults with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin therapy.¹ In this large, real-world study, CGM use was linked to a 45% lower risk of death at 12 months and a 36% lower risk at 24 months. A separate study involving more than 253,000 people with Type 2 diabetes showed using Libre technology nearly halved acute diabetes-event hospitalizations among adults with Type 2 diabetes on basal insulin.² Data from both studies will be presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), which begins Sept. 28 in Milan, Italy.

The mortality and cardiovascular outcomes study evaluated nearly 28,000 adults with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin and employed a target trial emulation approach, a rigorous methodology designed to more closely mirror a randomized clinical trial. Among CGM users included in the study, the majority were using Libre technology.⁴ The findings are the first to demonstrate an association between CGM use and lower risk of death among adults with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin.

More than 63 million people worldwide rely on insulin to manage Type 2 diabetes,⁵ yet studies show only 18% to 30% of those using basal insulin are reaching their HbA1c goals.^6,7 This gap contributes to an estimated $217 billion in annual diabetes healthcare costs, highlighting the need for tools that support better diabetes management and long-term health outcomes.⁸

CGMs, like Libre technology, provide ongoing visibility into glucose levels and trends, giving people a better understanding of how food, physical activity and medications affect their glucose levels. These real-time insights can support more informed diabetes management decisions and help increase time spent in the target glucose range over time.⁹ Libre technology makes these insights available to millions of people living with diabetes.

Lower risk of death and cardiovascular complications among people using basal insulin¹

The mortality and cardiovascular outcomes study analyzed a large electronic health record database in the United States to evaluate long-term outcomes among adults with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin. Researchers matched nearly 28,000 adults, including approximately 14,000 people using CGMs and 14,000 people not using CGMs, across 29 baseline characteristics and conducted multiple sensitivity analyses. Among this population, the use of CGM, including Libre technology, was associated with:

• 45% lower risk of death from any cause at 12 months
• 36% lower risk of death from any cause at 24 months
• Fewer cardiovascular-related complications, including reductions in recurrent events

“These findings add important new evidence on the potential value of continuous glucose monitoring for adults with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin,” said Carol Wysham, M.D., clinical endocrinologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings. “The observed associations between CGM use and lower risks of death and cardiovascular complications are noteworthy because they involve some of the most serious long-term complications associated with diabetes. Together with existing evidence, this study further supports the role of CGM in helping people better understand and manage their glucose levels.”

Separate study shows fewer acute diabetes-event hospitalizations²

A separate French observational study involving more than 253,000 people living with Type 2 diabetes found significant reductions in hospitalizations for acute diabetes events among people using Libre technology. Acute diabetes events included severe hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia and diabetes-induced coma.

Hospitalization rates for acute diabetes events decreased by:

• 81% among people using non-insulin therapies
• 56% among people using multiple daily insulin injections
• 47% among people using basal insulin

“The magnitude of these findings is significant because they link CGM use to meaningful long-term outcomes, including lower risks of death, cardiovascular complications and hospitalization,” said Mahmood Kazemi, M.D., chief medical officer for Abbott's diabetes care business. “Together, these studies add to a growing body of evidence supporting the value of continuous glucose monitoring for people using basal insulin. Access to continuous glucose data can help people better understand and manage their diabetes, potentially leading to better health outcomes over time.”

Additional Abbott presence at EASD

Abbott will also present new analyses from the FreeDM2 randomized controlled trial in adults with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin during a Hot Topic Session on Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. The analyses show that study participants experienced improvements in time in range within the first 24 hours of starting Libre 3 technology, with benefits sustained over time, building on previously reported FreeDM2 results.¹⁰

Abbott’s booth at P.01 will showcase new innovations at EASD. Visitors can learn more about Libre Assist,¹¹ a new feature within the Libre app¹² that helps people living with diabetes make informed food choices in the moment. By combining AI with Abbott's world-leading CGM technology, Libre Assist predicts how food choices may affect glucose levels, provides personalized meal guidance and confirms actual glucose impact after eating.^13,14

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the latest data on the benefits of CGMs for people with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin?

Data presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in September 2026 showed a link between continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use – including Libre technology – and lower mortality among adults with Type 2 diabetes using basal insulin. Compared with those who did not use a CGM, CGM users had a 45% lower risk of death at 12 months and a 36% lower risk of death at 24 months. The study, titled “Association of continuous glucose monitoring on all-cause mortality and macrovascular complications in adults with type 2 diabetes on basal insulin therapy in the U.S.: a target trial emulation,” also found an association between CGM use and reduced cardiovascular-related complications, including fewer recurrent events. Researchers evaluated nearly 28,000 adults with Type 2 diabetes on basal insulin and used a study design intended to mirror a randomized clinical trial.¹

Can CGMs help reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications and hospitalizations?

Clinical evidence continues to show an association between the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems and improvements in diabetes management, including lower rates of acute diabetes-related complications. In a French observational study titled “Reduction in hospitalizations for acute diabetes events after FreeStyle Libre initiation in T2DM across all diabetes therapy types including non-insulin therapy” and involving more than 253,000 people with Type 2 diabetes using Libre technology, hospitalizations for acute diabetes events decreased by 81% among people using noninsulin therapies, 56% among people using multiple daily insulin injections and 47% among people using basal insulin. Acute diabetes events included severe hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia and diabetes-induced coma.²

How can CGMs help people with Type 2 diabetes better manage their glucose levels?

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems help people with Type 2 diabetes better understand how food, activity and medications affect their glucose levels. By providing continuous visibility into glucose patterns and trends, CGMs can support daily diabetes management and help people make informed decisions that may improve their time spent in a healthy glucose range.¹⁵ Abbott’s Libre CGM technology helps make these glucose insights available.

Abbott Libre

Abbott is the global leader in diabetes technology and biowearables.³ More than 10 years ago, Abbott transformed diabetes care with its world-leading Libre continuous glucose monitoring portfolio, now used by more than 8 million people across over 60 countries.¹⁶ Libre technology provides real-time, personalized insights to help people understand how food, activity and medications affect their bodies. The latest Libre innovation is the world's first dual glucose-ketone sensor¹⁷, which monitors glucose and helps detect rising ketone levels that can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious diabetes-related complication. 

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.