Wireless interference a matter of life, death

July 3, 2008

Wireless systems used by many hospitals to keep track of medical equipment can cause potentially deadly breakdowns in lifesaving devices such as breathing and dialysis machines, researchers have reported.

The wireless systems send out radio waves that can interfere with equipment such as respirators, external pacemakers and kidney dialysis machines, the study said.

Electromagnetic glitches occurred in almost 30 percent of 123 tests when microchip devices similar to those in many types of wireless medical equipment were placed within about 1 foot of the lifesaving machines. Patients were not using the equipment at the time.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Peper Long of the Food and Drug Administration said the agency is aware of the potential problem but has not received any reports of injuries directly caused by electronic interference with hospital medical devices.

Associated Press