Brian Deller pointed me at this:
FDA approves computer chip for humans
Devices could help doctors with stored medical information
The VeriChip, the size of a grain of rice, is inserted under the skin with a
needle in a procedure that takes less than 20 minutes.The Associated Press
Updated: 1:55 p.m. ET Oct. 13, 2004
WASHINGTON –
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved an implantable
computer chip that can pass a patient’s medical details to doctors, speeding
care.VeriChips, radio frequency microchips the size of a grain of rice, have
already been used to identify wayward pets and livestock. And nearly 200
people working in Mexico’s attorney general’s office have been implanted
with chips to access secure areas containing sensitive documents.Delray Beach, Fla.-based Applied Digital Solutions in July asked the FDA for
approval to use the implantable chip for medical uses in the United States.
The agency had 60 days to reply to the “de novo” application.It’s the first time the FDA has approved the use of the device, though in
Mexico, more than 1,000 scannable chips have been implanted in patients. The
chip’s serial number pulls up the patients’ blood type and other medical
information.With the pinch of a syringe, the microchip is inserted under the skin in a
procedure that takes less than 20 minutes and leaves no stitches.Silently and invisibly, the dormant chip stores a code — similar to the
identifying UPC code on products sold in retail stores — that releases
patient-specific information when a scanner passes over the chip.At the doctor’s office those codes stamped onto chips, once scanned, would
reveal such information as a patient’s allergies and prior treatments.The FDA in October 2002 said that the agency would regulate health care
applications possible through VeriChip. Meanwhile, the chip has been used
for a number of security-related tasks as well as for pure whimsy: Club
hoppers in Barcelona, Spain, now use the microchip much like a smartcard to
speed drink orders and payment.
Part of me is like, sweet, I’ll never have to remember all kinds of information again. I won’t have to carry credit cards, or IDs, or wallets ever again. But, the other, more realistic, part of me realizes that the draconian implications of this are terrifying. If these ever become mandatory, or people become too apathetic about this, the ability to maintain any kind of anonymity or privacy is pretty much out the window. The fact that people are installing these things whimsically is both frightening and heartening. If this becomes very accessible and common place, the technology will become easily hackable and people will be able to decide for themselves the functionality of these devices – taking advantage of some of the convenience maybe while protecting some shred of privacy.