> The Fool <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: <<http://www.rednova.com/news/health/196561/health_chips_could_help_patients_in_us/>> > > 'Health Chips' Could Help Patients in US > Jul. 31--President Bush's former health secretary > Tommy Thompson is > putting the final touches to a plan that could > result in US citizens > having a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip > inserted under their skin, The Business has learned.
> > The RFID capsules would be linked to a computerised > database being > created by the US Department of Health to store and > manage the nation's > health records. It could be the precursor to a > similar scheme in the UK. <snip> > VeriChip spokesman John Procter says around 98,000 > people die > needlessly in the US every year after being given > inappropriate > treatment because their medical history was not > available... If somebody wants to be chipped instead of wearing a MedAlert ID (pendant or bracelet), that's their business, but _I_ certainly won't allow my personal med hx to be made available to any who can read such a chip. I already know people who, because of their social/political prominance or potential prominance, go to 'Doc in a Box'es to get Rxs for stuff like sleep-aid dosage Elavil (a tricyclic antidepressant), and pay cash rather than leave a trail. It's one thing to apprise medical personnel of your allergies/illnesses, but another entirely to have your most personal life issues on a computer. 'It's totally secure!' my fanny - if recent identity theft from various companies is any gauge, I see no privacy from computerized medical records. > ...Civil liberties groups such as Caspian in the US > fear that the need for > increased security in the wake of terrorist attacks > could act as a > catalyst for a more widespread use of VeriChips. I didn't catch the 'mandatory' part however -- not that Tommy Thompson is by any means my favorite person. Debbi Prayer Beads And Rattles Maru __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
