California RFID Bill By Senator Simitian Bans Tagging

State Senator Joe Simitian promotes his Senate Bill 362 that prohibits any person from forcing any other person to undergo an implant in their body of a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. ...

... "Despite wide-ranging support, the RFID industry has declined to support SB 362. In response, Simitian said, I think it's unfortunate and regrettable that the industry hasn't come out in support of SB 362. I understand why we're having a robust debate about the privacy concerns related to RFID, but at the very least, we should be able to agree that the forced implanting of under-the-skin technology into human beings is just plain wrong. I'm deeply concerned that this isn't a given for the industry. Passage of SB 362 ensures that no Californian is compelled to have electronic identifiers of any type embedded in their body. This provides Californians with the personal agency to make such decisions should they have a reason to, as well as another means of protecting their personal information. Once again, California leads the nation in recognizing potential threats to individual privacy and self-determination posed by new technologies, said Jennifer King, Research Specialist at the Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic at U.C. Berkeley School of Law. " ...

Via California State Senator Joe Simitian: Bill to Ban Tagging Humans Closer to Becoming Law, RFID at Issue

RFID Tags Diabetes Patients

VeriChip tags 18 diabetic patients with its RFID-enabled VeriMed Patient Identification System at the Atlanta Diabetes EXPO, under sponsorship of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). ...

... "At the EXPO, physicians implanted VeriMed RFID microchips in conference attendees who signed up for the voluntary procedure. The VeriMed Patient Identification System, which utilizes an implantable RFID microchip in combination with a handheld RFID scanner and a secure patient database, provides immediate access to important health information for patients who arrive at an emergency department unable to communicate. " ...

Via VeriChip: Diabetic Patients RFID Tagged with Microchip ...

RFID Improves Stroke Treatment: Access Health Records

National Stroke Association endorses implantable RFID microchips as a treatment to enable access to the critical health records of stroke victims. A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. National Stroke Association is the leading national non-profit organization devoting all of its efforts and resources to stroke. VeriMed Patient Identification System is used to rapidly and accurately identify people who arrive in an emergency room and are unable to communicate. This RFID identification system uses the first human-implantable passive microchip, the implantable VeriChip. ...

... "The National Stroke Association (NSA) has recognized that implantable RFID microchip technology offers the ability to improve stroke treatment by providing medical professionals with immediate access to vital health information of stroke-afflicted patients. An excerpt from the letter, signed by James Baranski, CEO of the National Stroke Association, states: Personal Health Records, including implantable RFID microchips such as VeriMed, could play a critical role in assisting medical professionals in delivering appropriate stroke treatment promptly, leading to better patient outcomes. The VeriMed Patient Identification System which consists of a handheld radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner, an implantable RFID microchip and a secure patient database, is being used to help rapidly identify and provide access to important health information on participating patients who arrive at an emergency department unconscious, delirious or unable to communicate. This implantable RFID system is the only system of its type cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use in people. " ...

Via VeriChip: National Stroke Association Views Implantable RFID Microchip such as VeriMed as a Potential Life-Saving Medical Device ...