View Poll Results: Would you be OK with adding a microchip to your medicine?
Yes, it's a good idea and I'm all for it
12
42.86%
No, it's going too far and there are too many unknown risks
9
32.14%
I'm not sure, I could go either way
7
25.00%
Voters: 28. You may not vote on this poll
A pill with a microchip inside of it? Going to far?
#1
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A pill with a microchip inside of it? Going to far?
In case you guys haven't ever heard of it, it's a microchip that is embedded in a pill (can be used in any kind of pill just about) which transmits how much you're taking, when you're taking it, and how well the medicine is working via internet/smart phone.
This is being developed in Switzerland and they hope to submit it for clinical use within the next 18 months!
Does this trouble anyone else? What about privacy issues with transmitting info like that? What about health issues (long term, etc) with having a friggin microchip transmit from inside your body?
Aparently the chip is activated by stomach acid, and since each pill will have it's own unique chip inside of it, doctors can track exactly how much you take and when exactly you're taking it. I don't know exactly how the tech works but this seems to be going way too far.
It was on channel 2 news this morning, and here's a link to another news site about it:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A754720101108
My biggest concern is the long term effects of swallowing a friggin microchip every time you take a pill! Privacy is another issue...
What do you guys think about this? Going too far or a good idea?
This is being developed in Switzerland and they hope to submit it for clinical use within the next 18 months!
Does this trouble anyone else? What about privacy issues with transmitting info like that? What about health issues (long term, etc) with having a friggin microchip transmit from inside your body?
Aparently the chip is activated by stomach acid, and since each pill will have it's own unique chip inside of it, doctors can track exactly how much you take and when exactly you're taking it. I don't know exactly how the tech works but this seems to be going way too far.
It was on channel 2 news this morning, and here's a link to another news site about it:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A754720101108
My biggest concern is the long term effects of swallowing a friggin microchip every time you take a pill! Privacy is another issue...
What do you guys think about this? Going too far or a good idea?
#3
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Damn, I just realized that I voted for the first option by accident, I could have sworn I clicked the second option, lol... Does a mod want to subtract one vote from the top option and add one to the second, please?
#4
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You feel comfortable transmitting confidential health info directly from your body over the web like that? I don't know about you, but I value my personal privacy a great deal.
Another thing, you're OK with consuming a microchip every time you take a pill? I can understand it the chip was proven tech that had been around for 100 years that has been studied intensely to find out if it is in fact harmless on the long term or not. This is brand new tech and there's no telling what kind of harm this can potentially do to your body. Just about everything causes cancer nowadays, even things found in nature so think about what harm consuming electronics over a long term can do to someone!
I could be totally wrong and it could be totally safe but that's not something I'm willing to be a guinea pig for.
Another thing, you're OK with consuming a microchip every time you take a pill? I can understand it the chip was proven tech that had been around for 100 years that has been studied intensely to find out if it is in fact harmless on the long term or not. This is brand new tech and there's no telling what kind of harm this can potentially do to your body. Just about everything causes cancer nowadays, even things found in nature so think about what harm consuming electronics over a long term can do to someone!
I could be totally wrong and it could be totally safe but that's not something I'm willing to be a guinea pig for.
#5
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I did a research project on RFID's in college years ago, and they're going to be in everything in the near future. The technology is pretty awesome, and I'm all for it.
Currently there's tons of artificial devices being implanted into people's bodies. I'm sure these RFID's won't be in simple drugs like Tylenol. If this is for those situations on TV like House where doctors are trying to figure out which drug would be the best help, if these chips can provide feedback about how the body is reacting to drugs, that's pretty awesome.
From my experience working in Healthcare Privacy/fraud industry, Health information hasn't been monetized. Bad guys can't sell your health information for financial gain. There's no incentive for them to do it. The level of technology it would take to actually read the information coming from the chip would be very expensive, so random people walking down the street won't be able to jack your info. How many people use that program that lets you scan UPC barcodes to check for cheaper prices on the internet? Barely anyone. Who would pay hundreds of dollars to see what red cell count is at the bus stop down the street just for curiousity sake?
As long as the benefits greatly outweigh the risks, I'm all for it.
Currently there's tons of artificial devices being implanted into people's bodies. I'm sure these RFID's won't be in simple drugs like Tylenol. If this is for those situations on TV like House where doctors are trying to figure out which drug would be the best help, if these chips can provide feedback about how the body is reacting to drugs, that's pretty awesome.
From my experience working in Healthcare Privacy/fraud industry, Health information hasn't been monetized. Bad guys can't sell your health information for financial gain. There's no incentive for them to do it. The level of technology it would take to actually read the information coming from the chip would be very expensive, so random people walking down the street won't be able to jack your info. How many people use that program that lets you scan UPC barcodes to check for cheaper prices on the internet? Barely anyone. Who would pay hundreds of dollars to see what red cell count is at the bus stop down the street just for curiousity sake?
As long as the benefits greatly outweigh the risks, I'm all for it.
Last edited by LGT Mark; 11-09-2010 at 10:00 AM.
#6
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#7
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I did a research project on RFID's in college years ago, and they're going to be in everything in the near future. The technology is pretty awesome, and I'm all for it.
Currently there's tons of artificial devices being implanted into people's bodies. I'm sure these RFID's won't be in simple drugs like Tylenol. If this is for those situations on TV like House where doctors are trying to figure out which drug would be the best help, if these chips can provide feedback about how the body is reacting to drugs, that's pretty awesome.
From my experience working in Healthcare Privacy/fraud industry, Health information hasn't been monetized. Bad guys can't sell your health information for financial gain. There's no incentive for them to do it. The level of technology it would take to actually read the information coming from the chip would be very expensive, so random people walking down the street won't be able to jack your info. How many people use that program that lets you scan UPC barcodes to check for cheaper prices on the internet? Barely anyone. Who would pay hundreds of dollars to see what red cell count is at the bus stop down the street just for curiousity sake?
As long as the benefits greatly outweigh the risks, I'm all for it.
Currently there's tons of artificial devices being implanted into people's bodies. I'm sure these RFID's won't be in simple drugs like Tylenol. If this is for those situations on TV like House where doctors are trying to figure out which drug would be the best help, if these chips can provide feedback about how the body is reacting to drugs, that's pretty awesome.
From my experience working in Healthcare Privacy/fraud industry, Health information hasn't been monetized. Bad guys can't sell your health information for financial gain. There's no incentive for them to do it. The level of technology it would take to actually read the information coming from the chip would be very expensive, so random people walking down the street won't be able to jack your info. How many people use that program that lets you scan UPC barcodes to check for cheaper prices on the internet? Barely anyone. Who would pay hundreds of dollars to see what red cell count is at the bus stop down the street just for curiousity sake?
As long as the benefits greatly outweigh the risks, I'm all for it.
As for meds with them in them, I agree, it's only going to be in the very expensive stuff.
However, I don't think that the motivation for putting them in pills is for better medical care by the doctor. No... it's for the insurance companies to point a finger at the end user and say..." see you didn't take your meds on the prescribed schedule... your coverage is now denied."
For this reason, I'm against it at this point.
Heathwise, I'm sure they're going to encase the RFID in some non-digestible case that you just poop out. RFID RF level is much much lower than a cell phone.
#8
I selected "i could go either way" because the OP wasn't very clear about this issue above. If the microchips are being used to give actual medical information that could be vital to saving your life or just getting you better faster than its good to go in my book. The way it was described originally was as a glorified baby sitter making sure you're taking your meds on time which, as other people already mentioned, because of the monetary funds needed for a project like this the microchips would never be used for a function like that. Change is scary but with it comes progress which is good.
#9
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There are a lot of pros and cons.
Meds might go up in price
What are the long term health issues that might arise from having tiny chips in your body
What/how do you get them out of your body (pass them or dissolve in the stomach)
Might be harder to sale them illegally
Might stop ppl from abusing them
ect ect
Meds might go up in price
What are the long term health issues that might arise from having tiny chips in your body
What/how do you get them out of your body (pass them or dissolve in the stomach)
Might be harder to sale them illegally
Might stop ppl from abusing them
ect ect
#13
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im pretty sure this tec alrady exisits the dif being transmitting to smart phone/internet and it sounds like they are putting them in every pill so they know how much u take. i dont care sounds like the type of pills lindsey lohan shold be on so someone can go slap her when she takes to many.
#14
I'm looking forward to the day when you can walk in a store and grab the items you need and just walk out. Everything is tracked and billed by RFID's so it knows exactly who has the items and what they are then deducts it from your checking account. Who needs paper money or ATM cards? Just need to find a way to hack Bruce's ID code and walk out of Subaru with a new 2025 STi. LOL
In all seriousness I can see major benefits with this for medical patients who need to be closely monitored. I doubt you would need something like this if you ate a nasty burrito and were peeing out of your ***.
In all seriousness I can see major benefits with this for medical patients who need to be closely monitored. I doubt you would need something like this if you ate a nasty burrito and were peeing out of your ***.