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Implant linked to cancer in mice

Microchips approved for humans may cause cancer in animals.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published September 9, 2007

But neither the company nor the regulators publicly mentioned this: A series of veterinary and toxicology studies, dating to the mid 1990s, stated that chip implants had "induced" malignant tumors in some lab mice and rats.

"The transponders were the cause of the tumors," said Keith Johnson, a retired toxicologic pathologist, explaining the findings of a 1996 study he led.

Leading cancer specialists reviewed the research for the Associated Press and, while cautioning that animal test results do not necessarily apply to humans, said the findings troubled them.

"There's no way in the world, having read this information, that I would have one of those chips implanted in my skin, or in one of my family members," said Dr. Robert Benezra, head of the Cancer Biology Genetics Program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

All of the reviewers urged further research before the glass-encased transponders are widely implanted in people.

To date, about 2,000 radio frequency identification, or RFID, chips have been implanted in humans worldwide, according to VeriChip Corp. of Delray Beach. The company, which sees a target market of 45-million Americans for its medical monitoring chips, insists the devices are safe.

"We stand by our implantable products," said Scott Silverman, chairman and chief executive officer.

Management was "not aware of any studies that have resulted in malignant tumors" in laboratory animals, but he added that millions of pets have been implanted with microchips, without reports of significant problems.

The FDA also stands by its approval of the technology but declined repeated AP requests to specify what studies it reviewed before approving the implants.

The agency is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services, which, at the time of VeriChip's approval, was headed by Tommy Thompson. Two weeks after the device's approval took effect on Jan. 10, 2005, Thompson left his Cabinet post, and by July was a board member of VeriChip Corp. and its parent company, Applied Digital Solutions. He was compensated in cash and stock options.

Thompson says he had no personal relationship with the company as the VeriChip was being evaluated and played no role in FDA's approval.

[Last modified September 9, 2007, 00:21:39]