Henry Ford docs say iPhone 12 can disable pacemakers, defibrillators
(The AEGIS Alliance) – Magnets and different parts inside iPhone 12 smartphones may disable pacemakers or implanted cardiac defibrillators, tech giant Apple said in its warning, potentially placing millions of individuals in danger of having deadly coronary heart problems.
The problem was identified by cardiologists at the Henry Ford Heart and Vascular Institute, who found that the batteries inside iPhone 12 phones and MagSafe chargers emit electromagnetic fields that may disable or interfere with defibrillator and pacemaker implants, the health system stated on Wednesday night.
Gurjit Singh was among the medical doctors who wrote about the issue in a letter to the editor published in the medical journal HeartRhythm, calling it “an important public health issue concerning the newer-generation iPhone 12, which potentially can inhibit lifesaving therapy in a patient, particularly when the phone is carried in an upper chest pocket.”
The letter urges medical device producers and medical doctors to warn patients concerning the potential danger of using the iPhone 12 and different smart units.
“The findings got the attention of the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), which regulates medical devices, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, and most notably, Apple itself, which published a warning on its webpage,” Henry Ford stated in a press release.
See our Letter to Editor in @hrs_journal
Life Saving Therapy Inhibition by Phones Containing Magnets #cardiotwitter #EPeeps @JGreenbergMD @HenryFordNews https://t.co/M4aiwyYNH9 pic.twitter.com/SOqpcszANc
— Gurjit Singh (@dr_gurjitsingh) January 6, 2021
Apple recommends that anybody with an implanted cardiac device keep all iPhone 12 products, including the mini, Pro, Pro Max, and MagSafe equipment a minimum of 6 inches away from the device, and no less than a foot away if the cellphone is wirelessly charging.
“Consult your physician and medical device manufacturer for information specific to your medical device and whether you need to maintain a safe distance of separation between your medical device and iPhone or any MagSafe accessories,” Apple said in its warning.
“Manufacturers often provide recommendations on the safe use of their devices around wireless or magnetic products to prevent possible interference. If you suspect iPhone or any MagSafe accessories are interfering with your medical device, stop using your iPhone or MagSafe accessories.”
Kyle James Lee – The AEGIS Alliance – This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
