From the Headlines: Chip Implants Linked to Tumors

In 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration approved implanting microchips into humans to enable physicians to access the medical records of those patients. Sound a little sci-fi? The technology was touted as innovative and potentially life saving, and approximately 2000 humans worldwide have already been implanted with these chips.

Microchips have been implanted in animals for decades, in part as a means for tagging domestic pets for simple identification in the event they run away from home. But studies are starting to surface showing a connection between these implanted microchips and malignant tumors. So far these tumors are reportedly only showing up in animals, but you can't help but think about those 2000 human guinea pigs who are already implanted.

Regardless of the recent publicity around this issue, the FDA is standing by their approval of this technology. VeriChip Corp., the company that owns the current patent, estimates there are approximately 45 million potential chip-bearers in America alone.

Will the benefits of instantly available medical histories over-ride the potential health implications of these implanted microchips? Only time will tell.