FC: FDA permits use of implantable ID chips in humans

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Wed Oct 23 2002 - 07:25:11 PDT

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    [There are two obvious questions: Should federal bureaucrats forcibly 
    prevent a company from selling implantable chips of this sort? And would it 
    be desirable for society to adopt these chips? I think the answer to the 
    first is "no," and the answer to the second is also "no." I would not stop 
    by government force or intervention people from using such implants, but it 
    is reasonable to be concerned about what might happen with widescale 
    adoption and speak out against it. Previous Politech message: 
    http://www.politechbot.com/p-03135.html  --Declan]
    
    ---
    
    Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 10:10:45 -0400
    From: Bob <bobat_private>
    To: declanat_private
    Subject: ID Chip's Controversial Approval
    References: <5.1.1.6.0.20021021222645.02d76750at_private>
    Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
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    I find this very disturbing.  Another example of how difficult it is to 
    deal with the exponential effects of technology on our linear political 
    sensibilities.
    
    Bob Adams
    <http://www.globaldevelopment.org>http://www.globaldevelopment.org
    
    
    The full story can be found at 
    <http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,55952,00.html>http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,55952,00.html 
    
    
    Wired magazine
    02:00 AM Oct. 23, 2002 PDT
    
    A surprise decision by the Food and Drug Administration permits the use of 
    implantable ID chips in humans, despite an FDA investigator's recent public 
    reservations about the devices.
    
    The FDA sent chip manufacturer Applied Digital Solutions a letter stating 
    that the agency would not regulate the VeriChip if it
    was used for "security, financial and personal identification or safety 
    applications," ADS said Tuesday.
    
    But the FDA has not determined whether the controversial chip can be used 
    for medical purposes, including linking to medical
    databases, the company added... 
    
    
    
    
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