March 2026 has brought several developments relating to FreeStyle Libre. In the UK, the immediate issue is the transition away from FreeStyle Libre 3 prescriptions before April. Internationally, Abbott has faced regulatory scrutiny, a US court decision on data privacy claims, and continued product development across the Libre platform.
Headlines
>FreeStyle Libre 3 will be removed from the NHS Drug Tariff from 1 April 2026 in England.
> PWD currently prescribed Libre 3 may be switched to FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus or FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus.
> Under NICE guidance in England, FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus is primarily used with hybrid-closed loop insulin pump systems.
> A US federal judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging Abbott shared FreeStyle Libre user data with Google and Meta.
> The US FDA has issued regulatory warnings relating to manufacturing and performance testing of some FreeStyle Libre sensors.
In depth
Prescription changes
In the UK, the main practical change concerns the NHS Drug Tariff. FreeStyle Libre 3 sensors are due to be removed from Part IX of the Drug Tariff from 1 April 2026. From that date, NHS prescriptions for FreeStyle Libre 3 will no longer be reimbursed. This means March 2026 effectively acts as the final transition period for prescriptions that still list FreeStyle Libre 3.
Community Pharmacy England advised that prescriptions issued after 31 March 2026 must specify an alternative sensor. In practice this means many people are being moved to FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus, which is intended to replace Libre 3 within the NHS prescribing framework.
Regulatory changes
Alongside the UK prescribing change, Abbott has also been dealing with regulatory and legal developments internationally.
In the United States, the US Food and Drug Administration has continued to review issues relating to certain FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors. The FDA previously issued safety communications concerning sensors that could provide glucose readings lower than actual blood glucose levels under certain conditions. These communications were linked to a field action affecting specific sensors rather than the entire Libre product line.
Regulatory scrutiny also increased earlier in 2026 when the FDA issued a warning letter to Abbott Diabetes Care relating to manufacturing quality systems and performance testing processes for FreeStyle Libre sensors. Abbott said it was implementing corrective actions and working with the regulator to address the issues identified.
Privacy case against Abbott dismissed
A separate development in March 2026 came from the US courts. A federal judge in Illinois dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit that had alleged Abbott improperly shared personal or health data with technology companies including Google and Meta through tracking tools connected to Libre digital services.
The court dismissed the claims with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be refiled in the same form. The lawsuit had focused on whether digital tracking technologies embedded in web services linked to Libre accounts could have transmitted personal information.
The ruling does not settle the broader debate around health data and connected medical devices. However, it represents a legal victory for Abbott in one of the first major privacy cases linked to CGM platforms and digital diabetes ecosystems.
The growing role of connected apps, cloud platforms and data analytics means that privacy and governance questions around CGM data are likely to remain part of the wider conversation about diabetes technology.
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The author of this blog has type 1 diabetes and uses a CGM on NHS prescription.
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