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14-Year-Old Discovers iPad Smart Cover Magnets Can Shut Off Implanted Defibrillators
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- emphasis mine
I am going to assume you misinterpreted something while reading the MR post. Exactly what devise does the girl have in her chest?
I will admit your phrasing does lend an air of nefariousness to the whole affair. Good job sir.
I guess like most people I tend to assume that if something was dangerous to certain people the manufacturer would state that on the packaging.
The issue is not my assumption. An average person can't be expected to know every detail about what's inside the products they buy. That's why we have consumer protection law. The onus is on the manufacturer to warn consumers about any potential risks. I knew there were magnets inside the iPad but I didn't know that they could be dangerous. How the hell could I possibly know that?
If you had a pacemaker or implanted defibrillator, your doctor would have told you that.
If you have a pacemaker you better stay the hell away from the front of my refrigerator... That thing could be a death dealer.
Perhaps this is why its being presented to 8000 doctors? Perhaps doctors don't always know everything about new tech that comes out and whether or not it's a potential threat?
Did Superman have a pacemaker? Is Kryptonite just a green magnet?
It's all making sense
Let's be clear on this subject once and for all.
Modern pacemakers have built-in features to protect them from most types of interference produced by other electrical devices you might encounter in your daily routine. Most household appliances won't affect your pacemaker.
Clearly the medical profession was not aware that the iPad could be a potential risk to patients, that's why the findings have been presented at a medical conference.
This is important because the iPad has been widely adopted by doctors around the world. If the iPad is potentially dangerous to their patients then the doctors need to know that so they can take precautions and warn their patients.
I repeat Consumer Law around the world is very clear on this subject. The onus is on the manufacturer to warn users about any potential risks from using their product, highlighting any high risk groups. The onus is NOT on the consumer to check every detail about the products they buy.
Discovers?
"The iPad Smart Cover and iPad Smart Case also contain magnets. Maintain at least 6 inches (approximately 15 cm) of separation between your pacemaker or defibrillator and iPad, the iPad Smart Cover, or the iPad Smart Case."
From the iPad User Guide's Safety, Handling & Support section: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/ipad_user_guide.pdf
"The iPad Smart Cover and iPad Smart Case also contain magnets. Maintain at least 6 inches (approximately 15 cm) of separation between your pacemaker or defibrillator and iPad, the iPad Smart Cover, or the iPad Smart Case."
From the iPad User Guide's Safety, Handling & Support section: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/ipad_user_guide.pdf
I actually got the point. She didn't make any discovery at all and I simply stated her finding was more of a public service announcement type thing for people who may have the defibrillator but NOT know there are magnets in the iPad that can trigger the defib to off until the magnetic field is removed. I was just saying that at 14, good job. I'd bet right now a call to my mother or grandmother would elicit an "I didn't know that" answer about the magnets so I was simply saying there are likely many who just don't know the iPad has them and that it can have that impact on their medical device.
For anyone who ever snapped a cover on an iPad it's a no brainer. For anyone who has not, it may be life saving information. Not at all an issue with the iPad, just with its use in highly limited situations with an implanted medical device.
Still don't get the hostility over the whole thing. Nobody said the iPad should be changed or that it's faulty or otherwise has issues, but so many here are upset over the fact that an Apple product was mentioned in an article that actually does have potential to do harm if used in that way by an unknowing or unsuspecting user. For Apple, this could possibly lead to a user warning within the manual regarding the presence of the magnets and maybe save someone's life. No big deal, unless you're that person.
You're absolutely right, she didn't discover it. What she discovered was that a device so popular with people contains magnets, which I would think is not necessarily a "well known fact", and those magnets can impact the implanted device because of how some people use the iPad. It has nothing to do with the iPad or the implant singularly. It's the use of them together in one particular situation that can be detrimental to a very small segment of our population. At 14, she drew the conclusion, with or without her father's help, and made it known for anyone who may not be part of the "well known fact" club. It's simply an advisory as a result of some information that she correlated, regardless of how she came to know the information (or because she's part of the well known fact club too?).
I wish people would just keep in mind she's 14. Not yet the rocket scientist so many here apparently wish they were, but at least she has already contributed a piece of information to the public that may help one single person stop using the device that way who may need that defib to keep them alive in an emergency involving their heart and the device.
She actually went the next step beyond assuming the well known fact would protect the entire iPad using community by pointing it out quite clearly. Pretty simple to me and I hope she never reads some of the nasty comments posted here on the forum that make assumptions about her or her father.
- emphasis mine
I am going to assume you misinterpreted something while reading the MR post. Exactly what devise does the girl have in her chest?
I will admit your phrasing does lend an air of nefariousness to the whole affair. Good job sir.
You are correct in that I inferred she herself had a pacemaker/implanted defrib. I was mistaken.
So instead of saying "she has one", let's simply go with, "whoever". All the more reason this story is horse-crap - obviously a person without such worries may not be aware that (a) magnets cause disruption of said devices and (b) the warning is clearly stated in the iPad's manual.
I imagine people with one of these devices seeing this story are probably thinking "Duh".
Again, problem here = that this is somehow news. My opinion is that it is news because Apple is involved and for no other reason. And the fact that her "findings" will be presented to 8000 doctors is absurd.
But good for her with the science fair project. That isn't the part I take issue with.
It's far from clear that the medical profession was unaware of that. In fact, the opposite would be true. Anyone dealing with heart implant devices would, at the very least, be well aware of the potential for problems from magnets and electronic devices and would give patients overly broad warnings.
As far as her presentation to 8k docs, that's probably something that her dad (in the field) arranged to get his daughter more recognition. [This will look great on a college application, and beyond. And, while I'm not suggesting that's why she did it, experiences that stand out on resumes are very big for those shooting for the most selective colleges and internships.]
Do you expect the doctor to list ALL items that have magnets or produce EMF? Or would it be better, as they do, tell you to make sure to stay away from items with magnets and devices that produce EMF, etc? If you have a device you better be prudent in researching what it has in it.
Of course not. But a doctor could go over commonly used items such as microwaves, speakers, iPads, etc.
Are you really against the idea of doctors providing valuable information. Forget on whether or not the patient should just "know" - is it BAD for the doctor to be thorough?
But I think you're giving the average consumer a hard time personally. I would imagine if you had a pacemaker/defib that was sensitive to magnetism - you'd do your best to avoid dangerous situations. But at the same time - I don't expect them to do extensive research on everything they plan on getting near.
But it's cool - you want to put the entire onus on the customer/patient. I see that.
As a physician, I can assure you that ALL doctors are well aware of the affect of magnets on pacemakers / defib devices. In fact the ability of a magnet to turn off the devices is INTENTIONAL to allow them to be shut off in the event of a "code" / cardiac arrest and during surgery so that electrical cautery can be used (otherwise the interference could cause the devices to pace or in the case of a defibrillator fire) and for other testing situations.
I think the point about why she is doing this and got to present in front of a large group of doctors is correctly stated as being related to her dad being a cardiologist. Patients are well aware of interference sources including magnets, but there is nothing wrong with a reminder of this - but I do agree with those who have pointed out that this is getting attention due to Apple being involved. A similar warning about refrigerator magnets or magnetic keychains would not get nearly as much press even though the threat is there.
You forgot the sarcasm emotioncon... at least I hope so?
Some sarcasm is so obvious an emoticon should not be needed.
But that's not exactly a fair comparison. A kitchen MAGNET is something known. A MAGNETIC keychain, etc is known. It has the word magnetic in the name.
I won't argue whether the experiment is important. Or new info. But I also think the reason this got press was because of the student (14) being invited (however she was invited) to speak to 8K Drs. No matter how you slice it - PR stunt or not - a 14 year old giving a talk to 8K doctors is press worthy. The fact that it's Apple and whether or not THAT is why the story appears elsewhere is pure conjecture and/or paranoid thinking. The fact it appeared on MacRumors as a top story is pure linkbait and definitely BECAUSE it was Apple NAMED.