What are the benefits and risks of fitting patients with radiofrequency identification devices.

BACKGROUND TO THE DEBATE: In 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a radiofrequency identification (RFID) device that is implanted under the skin of the upper arm of patients and that stores the patient's medical identifier. When a scanner is passed over the device, the identifier is displayed on the screen of an RFID reader. An authorized health professional can then use the identifier to access the patient's clinical information, which is stored in a separate, secure database. Such RFID devices may have many medical benefits--such as expediting identification of patients and retrieval of their medical records. But critics of the technology have raised several concerns, including the risk of the patient's identifying information being used for nonmedical purposes.

FCC to begin issuing licenses for use of mobile radios in the 460 to 470 MHz band.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has stated that after December 31, 2005, it will begin issuing licenses for use of private land mobile radios (PLMRs) in the 460 to 470 MHz frequency band. Medical telemetry systems operating in this band after December 31 will therefore be at increased risk for interference, which could compromise patient safety. Any medical facility in the vicinity of a PLMR could be affected.

Public mobile radio services; regulatory policies and procedures for the Domestic Public Land Mobile Radio Service--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

Final policies and procedures concerning objective need showings are being adopted for applications requesting multiple new two-way channels and applications requesting additional channels for an existing system. The policies and procedures we had in the past were vague and did not provide applicants with sufficient information as to what was required in need showings before various types of applications could be granted. Thus, applicants requesting multiple new two-way frequencies or additional two-way channels for an existing system must show that the existing, projected or expected grade of service for the proposed facilities is .25 or greater, this will determine the number of new or additional channels granted.

Regulatory policies and procedures for the Domestic Public Land Mobile Radio Service--Federal Communications Commission. Proposed rule.

Policies and procedures concerning objective need showings for applications requesting an additional one-way frequency for one-way signaling stations are being proposed. The present rules do not provide applicants with sufficient information as to what is required in need showings before applications can be granted. Applicants requesting an additional one-way frequency must show that the existing or projected grade of service is .50 before an additional channel is granted. The proposed standards are concurrently being adopted as an interim rule.

Amendment of the Commission's rule pursuant to its unregulatory program--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

The Federal Communications Commission is amending the Rules concerning the land mobile radio services so as to eliminate those that are now unnecessary or outdated and to bring others into agreement with rules that were amended previously in other rulemaking actions.

Private Land Mobile Radio Services--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

The Commission adopts a Second Report and Order releasing reserved radio spectrum in the 806-821/851-866 MHz bands for Private Land Mobile Radio Service use. The rules adopted provide enhanced flexibility in radio system design and user options. The action is necessary to satisfy land mobile spectrum needs across the country.

Regulatory policies and procedures for the Domestic Public Land Mobile Radio Service--Federal Communications Commission. Second report and order.

This Order eliminates the requirement that applicants in the Domestic Public Land Mobile Radio Service requesting one initial two-way frequency demonstrate a public need for the proposed service. This action will serve the public interest by making frequencies available for use by the public in a more timely manner, by reducing the costs associated with filing applications and by relieving the staff of an unnecessary processing burden. This action is necessary to speed service to the public and to reduce staff resources necessary to process applications.

Private Land Mobile Radio Services; amendment of the commission's rules concerning mobile station, control point and control system authorization procedures for common user systems for a certain MHz frequency--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

The Commission is amending its rules and regulations in Part 90--Private Land Mobile Radio Service, by adopting a new temporary licensing procedure for special mobile radio systems (SMRS's) and multiple licensed mobile relay stations operating in the 806-821 and the 851-866 megahertz (MHz) bands. This new system of licensing will benefit radio users by enabling them to begin operations more quickly than in the past, and will not in any way lessen the ability of the Commission to determine whether an applicant is eligible and otherwise possesses the necessary qualifications to be permanently licensed to operate in these bands. This new system is a part of the Commission's on-going program for reviewing its rules and regulations and eliminating unnecessary burdens on licensees to facilitate the administration of the Private Land Mobile Radio Service.

Cooperative use and multiple licensing of stations in the private land mobile radio services--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule; report and order.

The Federal Communications Commission is adopting rules to govern the cooperative sharing and multiple licensing of facilities in its private land mobile radio services. The rules which are adopted define the types of arrangements which will and will not be allowed. These rules have been adopted: (1) To remove certain procedural burdens heretofore required ot licensees and user eligibles; (2) To assure adequate licensee control; and (3) To codify permissible licensee and user practices relating to multiple licensed and cooperatively shared systems.

Allocation of spectrum in a certain MHz band and to establish other rules, policies, and procedures for one-way paging stations in the Domestic Public Land Mobile Radio Service--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

This First Report and Order allocates 3 MHz of spectrum for paging services in the 929-932 MHz band. Private paging services will use frequency band 929-930 MHz, common carrier services will use frequency band 931-932 MHz, with a flexible boundary between the two bands effective after five years. The 930-931 MHz band will be reserved for advanced technology paging systems. This allocation was made in response to petitions filed by the Ad Hoc Private Paging Committee and Telocator Network of America. These new paging frequencies will allow for substantial growth of the paging industry, which has been restricted by a shortage of frequencies.

Establishment of a Medical Implant Communications Service in the 402-405 MHz band. Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

This document establishes a Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) operating in the 402-405 MHz band. MICS operations will consist of high-speed, ultra-low power, non-voice transmissions to and from implanted medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators. The rules will allow use of newly-developed, life-saving medical technology without harming other users of the frequency band.

Creation of the Emergency Medical Radio Service--FCC. Final rule.

The Commission has adopted rules that create the Emergency Medical Radio Service. This action was taken to redress the adverse consequences on public health and safety resulting from current crowding on emergency medical channels. The rule changes will establish a discrete radio service category dedicated strictly to eligibles providing basic or advanced life support services on an ongoing basis and thereby ensure the reliability of emergency medical communications.

Private land mobile radio services; amendment of the Commission's rules concerning general eligibility in the industrial radio services: Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

This document adopts a rule amendment to permit the licensing of non-profit corporations and associations of eligible users in the Business and Special Industrial Radio Services in the bands below 512 MHz. The FCC now permits the licensing of non-profit corporations and associations of eligible users in each of the Industrial Radio Services except the Business and Special Industrial Radio Services below 800 MHz and permits it in all Industrial Radio Services including Business and Special Industrial above 800 MHz. The amendment will eliminate this exception.

Interconnection of private land mobile radio systems with the public switched telephone network in certain MHz bands--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

This document adopts new rules to enable private radio communication systems licensed under Part 90 in the 800 MHz bands to interconnect with the facilities of the public switched telephone network. These rules are necessary to enable private licensees to better utilize their radio systems by allowing interconnected operation under certain conditions. An accompanying petition for rulemaking is dismissed as moot.

Establishment of disaster radio response program in the local government radio service for states, territories, and possessions: Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

This document amends 2, 90, and 99 to allocate high frequency (HF) frequencies to be used by the States, Territories, and Possessions in meeting disaster communications needs. This action is necessary to provide these entities with frequency resources needed to fulfill disaster communications requirements.

Multiple-address radio systems, allocation of forty-eight 25 kHz channels in the 900 MHz range; and establishment of a new standard for frequency tolerance in the 952-960 MHz band: Federal Communications Commission. Third notice of proposed rulemaking.

In response to a petition, the Commission proposes the reallocation of forty-eight 25 kHz channels in the 928-929 and 952-960 MHz band segments to the Private Operational-Fixed Microwave Service and the Domestic Public Land Mobile Radio Service for distribution automation and wide-area control and repeater operations, respectively. The spectrum from 928 to 929 MHz is presently reserved for Land Mobile. The 952-950 MHz band is currently allocated to the Private Operational-Fixed Microwave Service and the International Control Services.

Private land mobile radio services; bio-medical telemetry operations--Federal Communications Commission. Final rule.

This action changes rules in the Special Emergency Radio Service to permit the limited use of bio-medical telemetry systems on certain medical services VHF frequencies. The operation is to be allowed only beyond fifty miles from the center of urbanized areas of 600,000 or more population (U.S. Census of 1970). The bio-medical telemetry system is used to send electrocardiograms from patients to hospitals.

Licensing of low-power medical devices in the 450-470 MHz band--FCC. Final rule.

The Commission has decided that hospitals and healthcare institutions will no longer be required to separately license low-power medical devices operating on the offset frequencies in the 450-470 MHz band. Instead, they will be permitted to operate such devices under the authority of other licensed radio facilities. This action will reduce the cost and burden associated with the licensing of these devices.

Eligibility rules for special emergency paging--FCC. Final rule.

This action modifies 90.38 of the Commission's Rules by expanding the eligibility of end users to which special emergency paging licensees can provide service. Hospital paging systems could not be used to inform participants in an organ donor program of the availability of a suitable organ. The Commission has decided that patients actively awaiting an organ transplant should be eligible under the Special Emergency Radio Service to receive paging service.