Australian Scientists Develop Pain-Free Blood Sugar Test for Diabetics

Paul Dastoor, Physicist and Research Leader at the University of Newcastle, holds a non-invasive, printable saliva test strip for diabetics, at the University of Newcastle in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, in this undated recent picture obtained by Reuters on July 12, 2021. Courtesy of University of Newcastle/Handout via Reuters

SYDNEY—Australian scientists say they have developed the “holy grail” of blood sugar testing for diabetics, a non-invasive strip that checks glucose levels via saliva.

For diabetics, managing their blood sugar levels typically means pricking their fingers multiple times a day with a lancet and then placing a drop of blood on a testing strip. Understandably, some diabetes sufferers avoid the painful process by minimizing their tests.