Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Blood glucose test strips are the single-use, disposable strips that a glucose meter reads to report a glucose result from a drop of capillary blood. The questions buyers and clinic staff ask about them are mostly about handling: which strips are acceptable, how long an opened vial lasts, whether a strip can be reused, and how to throw one away. This guide answers those from FDA text and one manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU), and keeps meter mechanics in the separate glucometer guide.
Who uses them: people who self-monitor at home, and the clinic, hospital and screening staff who run point-of-care glucose checks (see point-of-care testing).
What blood glucose test strips are
A test strip is a small disposable strip with a reagent area that the blood drop touches. It is inserted into a compatible meter, which reads the reaction and displays the result. One example IFU, for OneTouch Ultra strips, describes them as used with the OneTouch Ultra family of meters to measure glucose quantitatively in fresh capillary whole blood. The strip and the meter work as a matched system, which is why the strip is a recurring consumable rather than a one-time purchase.
How a strip is built and why it is meter-specific
The strip carries chemistry that reacts with glucose, and the meter is designed to read that specific strip. Because of this, a strip is written for a named meter or meter family, and the IFU that comes with the strips says which. The practical rule is to match the strip to the meter by the name in the IFU, not by appearance. Strips are made to be handled as supplied: the example IFU says not to bend, cut or alter a strip in any way.
Types and variants
Coded and code-free systems
FDA’s guidance for over-the-counter blood glucose systems expects the manufacturer to explain how the system compensates for differences between strip lots, for example by calibrating or coding the system for each lot. Some systems therefore ask the user to match a code. The example OneTouch Ultra IFU states that matching the code on the meter to the code on the strip vial is essential for accurate results. Whether a given system needs coding is stated in that system’s own IFU.
Brand-named, “universal” and third-party strips
Strips are sold under many brand names, and some listings use words such as “universal”. The sources read for this page describe strips as labelled for a specific meter or family of meters, and FDA’s page does not describe any strip as interchangeable across meters. Check the strip name and meter name in the IFU before ordering.
How to choose: criteria that sources actually state
| Item | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New, authorized strips | “Always use new test strips that are authorized for sale in the United States.” | FDA, Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices |
| Pre-owned strips | FDA has issued a safety communication warning of risks of using previously owned home-use test strips. | FDA, Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices |
| Storage | Improperly stored meter and strips may make results less accurate; keep the vial tightly closed when not in use. The example IFU: store in a cool dry place below 30 C (86 F), do not refrigerate, keep strips in the original vial only. | FDA page; OneTouch Ultra IFU |
| Open-vial discard date | Example IFU: write the discard date (date opened plus 6 months) on the vial when first opened; do not use strips beyond the printed expiration or the discard date, whichever comes first. This period is specific to that product. | OneTouch Ultra IFU |
| Single use | “Test strips are for single use only. Never reuse a test strip that had blood or control solution applied to it.” | OneTouch Ultra IFU |
| Code matching | For that system, the meter code and strip vial code must match for accurate results. | OneTouch Ultra IFU |
| Sharing | Systems are intended for single-patient use; the lancing device is for one user and not shared. | FDA self-monitoring guidance (2020) |
FDA’s 2020 guidance also says the ISO 15197 criteria alone are not sufficient to protect lay users, because the standard does not adequately address performance in the hypoglycemic range or across strip lots. That guidance is a set of nonbinding recommendations to manufacturers, not a rule for buyers, but it explains why lot and expiry handling matter. It also expects manufacturers to test closed-vial and open-vial stability.
Storage, expiry and the open-vial discard date
There are two separate limits. The printed expiration date on the vial applies to an unopened vial stored as directed. The discard date applies once the vial is opened. In the example IFU the open-vial period is six months, and the strip must not be used past whichever date comes first. Do not assume another product uses the same period; online sources quote conflicting figures, and the IFU for the strips in hand is the authority. FDA adds that high altitude, extreme temperature and extreme humidity may cause unpredictable effects on glucose results.
Can you reuse a test strip?
No. The example IFU says strips are for single use only and must never be reused after blood or control solution has been applied. It also says not to return a used strip to the vial.
Pre-owned, unauthorized and free strips
FDA says to use new strips authorized for sale in the United States and points to its warning about previously owned home-use strips. Whether strips are supplied free or covered is decided by the payer or program involved, not by the strip itself.
Disposing of used strips and lancets
Used strips and lancets follow different rules. For strips, the example IFU says used strips may be considered biohazardous waste in your area and to follow your health care professional’s recommendations or local regulations. Lancets are sharps: FDA says used sharps should be immediately placed in a sharps disposal container, and never put loose in household or public trash or recycling. See what is a lancet and sharps disposal regulations for laboratories. FDA’s guidance also advises washing hands with soap and water after handling the meter, lancing device or strips.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the vial open, or moving strips to another container.
- Using a strip past the printed expiration or the discard date, whichever is earlier.
- Mismatching the code on the meter and vial where the system uses coding.
- Reusing a strip, or putting a used strip back in the vial.
- Buying pre-owned strips, or strips not authorized for sale in the United States.
- Sharing a lancing device between people.
FAQ
Can you reuse blood glucose test strips?
No. The example IFU says strips are single use and must never be reused once blood or control solution has touched them.
How do you dispose of blood glucose test strips?
Follow the IFU and local rules: the example IFU says used strips may be biohazardous waste in your area. Lancets go in a sharps container.
How do you get free blood glucose test strips?
That depends on the payer or program, such as an insurer or a clinic program, rather than on the strip. Ask the payer or program directly.
Do codefree, universal, Verio, On Call, TRUEresult, Metene or Philips strips work with any meter?
Not on the evidence read here. Strips are labelled for a named meter or family; the strip’s IFU says which, and whether the system needs coding. Use the strip name given in your meter’s IFU.
Are older or pre-owned strips safe to use?
FDA warns of risks from previously owned home-use strips and advises new, authorized strips.
Where to find supplies
Laboratory and clinic buyers can browse diagnostic, monitoring and imaging supplies. For the wider clinic list, see the diabetes clinic supply checklist.
Sources
- FDA, Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices, read 2026-10-29: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/in-vitro-diagnostics/blood-glucose-monitoring-devices
- FDA guidance, Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Test Systems for Over-the-Counter Use (issued September 29, 2020), read 2026-10-29: https://www.fda.gov/media/87721/download
- LifeScan, OneTouch Ultra Test Strip package insert (India English edition; one example IFU), read 2026-10-29: https://www.onetouch.in/sites/default/files/2024-03/07309501A_OTU_TSI_IN_en_LM_R1_web_v1_FVID273875.pdf
- FDA, Safely Using Sharps (Needles and Syringes) at Home, Work and Travel, read 2026-10-29: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/consumer-products/safely-using-sharps-needles-and-syringes-home-work-and-travel
