The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the way for a Florida company to market implantable chips that would provide easy access to individual medical records. Based on the same technology developed by Advanced Digital Systems for pet micro-chipping, VeriChip involves injecting an RFID transponder into a person’s arm using a large veterinary needle. For those who want to catch up on RFID (radio frequency identification device) technology, have a look at our articles on the subject in the July 2003 and July 2004 issues of SILICON CHIP.

The VeriChip device contains a unique 16-bit code which could point to the individual’s medical records in a national database. Such a national database is not yet available in Australia but the equivalent, the ADS database, is available in the USA to health care providers.

No doubt the FDA approval will bring all sorts of cries of horror from civil libertarian groups but most people will probably conclude that it is a good idea. If you were involved in a serious accident and arrived at the hospital without any identification, as people sometimes do, wouldn’t it be great for the hospital to be able to access your records, check for special medical conditions, allergies, prescribed medication and so on?

In fact, would it not be a good idea for hospitals generally? When you were admitted to hospital, you could have the implant and then there would be less chance of getting the wrong medication while you are in a vegetative state. When you leave the hospital, you could possibly opt to have it removed but many people would probably elect to keep it – for next time.

The idea could be introduced at birth. Why not? There could be all sorts of advantages. Your child later goes astray without your knowledge and is later found. Who is he/she? A quick scan and bingo, the authorities know and can take action.

And what about people suffering from Alzheimers? A quick chipping job would no doubt provide greater security against wandering and subsequent treatment when they can no longer communicate.

Sure, such a scheme could be greatly extended and have implications far beyond the initial intention. It could be used to keep unruly people out of sporting venues (not a bad idea) or under-age people out of night clubs. Or a whole host of applications which mean that it could become a de facto identity card.

Want to apply for a bank account? Simple, just get your arm scanned. It would be a whole lot less troublesome than the current 100-point security check. In fact, it could take place of your credit card, driving licence and so on.

Ultimately, this or a similar scheme is probably part of our future. I think it could be good idea. Will it increase the power of the State? Not much probably. If you want to be a part of today’s society, it is already pretty difficult to remain invisible to today’s huge and all-encompassing databases. And after all, an RFID tag under the skin would probably make identity theft that much harder for the criminals. Or maybe not. What do you think? If you want more information, just do a Google search for VeriChip.