LOOKS LIKE NEWSWEEK IS PUSHING RFID CHIPS.


Myths About Implantable Chips
Implantable microchips can provide life-saving data in emergencies. Opposition to them is too often based on misinformation about what they can do

by Scott R. Silverman

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of perspectives on implantable microchips.

You have no doubt heard heart-warming stories about radio frequency identification, or RFID, microchips that reunite lost pets with their owners. These life-saving devices have been used safely for more than 15 years in tens of millions of dogs and cats around the world. There are more than 70,000 scanners in animal shelters and veterinary offices and, each month, more than 8,000 dogs and cats are reunited with their owners (rather than, in many cases, being euthanized) as a result of this technology. Pet microchipping is globally recognized as the best way to identify lost pets.

You may not know that a similar device has been cleared by the Food & Drug Administration for use in humans. It's marketed by my company, VeriChip Corp. (CHIP), and it's not only effective and safe, supported by years of successful use in the pet world, but it can also save a patient's life in the first critical minutes of an emergency situation. I'd like to clear up some misconceptions surrounding this device.

Medical Information Is Private
Cleared by the FDA in October, 2004, VeriChip's VeriMed Patient Identification System consists of a radio frequency identification (RFID) microchip that stores a unique, 16-digit number; a proprietary reader; and a personal health record (PHR) database. The microchip is implanted through a simple injection above the triceps area of a patient's right arm and, once scanned, links to a secure PHR database providing the patient's identification information, PHR, and other relevant information the patient desires to communicate. The password-protected information, transmitted through an Internet-enabled computer, gives emergency department staff rapid and secure access to the information they need to make better health-care decisions during an emergency.

Some question whether the system keeps sensitive medical information safe. The microchip can provide hospital staff with all of a patient's medical information, including illnesses or previous surgeries, medication allergies, and current medications the patient is taking. Only authorized emergency department personnel at authorized hospitals are able to scan the microchip from a secure range of just a few inches. It is impossible to obtain the patient's information unless the person has authorized access to the PHR database. That authorization comes from the patient, through his PHR database. For years, our company has enforced a strict privacy policy that starts with the voluntary use of our VeriMed Patient Identification System and its opt-in and opt-out capabilities. Our company was built around one simple premise: the decision to receive the VeriMed microchip, like any other medical device, should be a choice made by the patient or his or her loved one or guardian.

The Chips Are Safe
Last year a story was published by the Associated Press alleging implantable microchips cause cancer—an accusation we firmly dispute. This story referred to three studies that linked implantable microchips to malignant tumor formation. It is important to point out that none of these studies was designed to investigate the microchip as a cause of tumor growth and the findings were incidental to the research. It is also important to note that these studies used mice and rats specially bred and altered to increase their susceptibility to cancers. It is also critical to note that as part of the primary design of the studies, the mice and rats were exposed to various cancer-causing agents such as X-ray radiation and chemical carcinogens. It is therefore impossible from these three studies to relate any tumor growth directly to the implanted microchips. The medical profession and those familiar with laboratory research understand these very important differentiators and the public must as well. Most importantly, the FDA continues to support its approval of the product. Myths About Implantable Chips

During the FDA approval process we provided 34 studies to the FDA demonstrating the safety of implantable microchips. There have been numerous studies in mice, rats, woodchucks, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigs, and dogs that investigated the microchip and potential adverse effects of inserting it into subcutaneous tissue. None of these studies showed any tumors or other significant problems. It is clear the use of microchips in humans and pets is a safe and a dependable means of identification that has been used in millions of animals for over 15 years and in humans for the past several years. Except for a few vocal naysayers, this product is overwhelmingly embraced by medical professionals and high-risk patients.

VeriMed Chips Don't Track You
There has also been some confusion regarding the VeriMed microchip's capabilities. The VeriMed microchip is a passive device (it has no power source) that is activated only when read by our scanner. The microchip stores only an identification number and cannot track a person's whereabouts because it does not have Global Positioning System capability. Some privacy advocates have voiced concerns regarding our microchip but often we find that once people are educated on what the device is: a passive identification tool to identify high-risk patients and their medical records; and what the device isn't—a GPS tracking device —their concerns are mollified. The medical community acknowledges the need for this technology in order to save lives.

Recently a few states have passed legislation banning the forced implantation of RFID microchips. As long as legislators understand the primary application of our microchip and the benefits it provides, we support the voluntary nature of implantable RFID. Although a variety of potential applications for our technology have been discussed, such as the identification of guest workers, military personnel and others, we focus on the identification of high-risk patients and have always believed that the decision to receive our implantable microchip should be voluntary.

I often am asked if I would consider getting a microchip. In fact, I was one of the first to receive a microchip, in 2002. I cannot feel its presence and usually forget that it's there, but my family and I take comfort in the fact that if I am ever unable to speak in an emergency, my microchip will do all the "talking."

Silverman is chief executive officer of VeriChip, a Delray Beach (Fla.) maker of implantable microchips .









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