RFID Chip Implants Planned for Alzheimer's Patients

Alzheimer's Community Care Facility, in West Palm Beach Florida, intends to begin implanting radio frequency identification chips, RFID, in Alzheimer patients, despite the outcry of violation of privacy.

This RFID chip is designed to be implanted under the skin in the right forearm and contains a 16 digit number that can be scanned in the emergency room to link to the patient's medical history. According to VeriChip Corp. this chip does not contain any information other than the ID number and does not have GPS tracking capabilities. When scanned, the chip sends a message via radio waves to transmit the unique ID number. This ID number then enables the facility to access records connected to this number.

Mary Barnes, president of Alzheimer's Community Care says, "People with Alzheimer's and dementia are our most vulnerable population, particularly during hurricane season. We're hoping this kind of technology creates a safer environment for them and creates higher efficiency in the emergency room,"

She believes the RFID chip, manufactured by VeriChip Corp, provides a valuable service that allows medical facilities to quickly and easily access medical information the patient often is not able to provide on their own.

Katherine Albrecht, founder of Consumers Against Supermarket Invasion and Numbering, does not agree.

"This whole medical trial ... really raises some pretty important issues about informed consent." says Albrecht. "There are other technologies that are far less invasive and can achieve the same goal."

Albrecht sites the use of MedicAlert bracelets as viable solution that would provide the same information as a RFID chip, but are not invasive.

Barnes; however, argues that a MedicAlert bracelet could be removed or lost. While Albrecht acknowledges that this is a risk factor for bracelets; she believes that is is just as likely that the RFID chip would fail or the electronic system that stores the patient information would malfunction or lose pertinent data.

VeriChip's CEO, Scott Silverman reports that although the chips have already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Association, this 2 year trial is designed to test the effectiveness of the RFID chip in real life situations. The goal is to determine if Alzheimer's patients really will receive "quicker and better treatment" than those who do not have a chip implant.

Barnes reports that a review board, to be headed by Andrew Passeri, a board member from Alzheimer Community Care, will be formed in the next few weeks. This board will look at potential risks, refine procedures and safe guards to prevent patients from being exploited, and develop plans to let patients and their families know of their right to withdraw by having the chip deactivated or removed.

Barnes believes that in ideal circumstances, consent would not be an issue, because families and the Alzheimer patient would begin receiving services and resources prior to advanced stages of Alzheimer's. In this stage, the patient would be capable of making informed decisions and either give or deny consent for such a device in later stages.

She claims the patient's wishes concerning the RFID chip implant would remain unimpeachable. Their wishes would be followed.

Resources:
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=sci_tech&id=5317069
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=21011
http://www.verichipcorp.com/content/company/rfidtags