OBJECTIVES: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects approximately 371 million people worldwide. 37 million are in Latin America. Glycemic control is the key to prevent diabetes-related complications. Using the meter may prevent negative effects to the patient´s health and the disease cost. The objective was to examine if self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is worthwhile, in terms of glycemic control, HbA1c levels reduction and associated complications in diabetes patients treated with insulin in Latin America. METHODS: Data regarding the burden of DM and the value of SMBG in Latin America was obtained through  literature search of databases including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, AHRQ and NICE. The intervention was SMBG with meter and test strips. Evidence synthesis of all studies that met the inclusion criteria was conducted through narrative review. RESULTS: Two RCTs presented statistically significant findings indicating HbA1c level reductions of at least 1% (1.37-2.26%) in the SMBG group. A multinational survey found significant benefit of SMBG in data from 10,000 patients. Patients who practiced SMBG had a 2-3 fold increase in the odds of reaching HbA1c targets (< 7%). A Brazilian study found that SMBG with intensive insulin therapy reduces HbA1c by 1.82% compared to 0.66% in the control group. A survey of 1,000 T2DM patients in Mexico found that intensified SMBG demonstrated more influence on HbA1c than demographic information, carbohydrate consumption, amount of exercise, BMI or insulin use alone CONCLUSIONS: Evidence supports SMBG’s clinical benefits in insulin-depended diabetic patients, with all studies reporting positive findings that indicated SMBG is related to a decreased HbA1c level, glycemic control, and other clinical outcomes.  The SMBG can be an important component in the control of DM, which is projected to be increased to 552 million people globally by 2030. This review found both global and Latin American specific evidence to support SMBG for insulin using diabetes patients.