As if frequency incompatibility isn't headache nough for the pet microchip industry and pet owners, studies show that microchips could cause cancer. In 2004, after investigating microchipping, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found the process to be safe enough for use in humans and animals. However, since the 1990s studies have shown evidence that microchips cause cancerous tumors to develop in rats and mice. One 2001 study revealed that 1 percent of the rats tested developed these tumors on their bodies near the place where the microchip was implanted [source: Elcock].
Katherine Albrecht, who founded Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN), wants the microchipping of humans to end, so she has been pushing these types of studies into the public eye. Her efforts succeeded when the Associated Press released a story in September 2007 indicating that manufacturers of microchips for humans dismissed (or were irresponsibly unaware of) studies that show microchips might lead to cancer. When the story broke, the companies' shares sharply fell [source: Feder].
Albrecht's CASPIAN group then published a summary she put together of 11 studies performed between 1990 and 2006 that investigated the microchip-cancer link, including the one we just mentioned. Most of these studies research rodents, but a few used dogs o attempt to discover whether there was causal link. Albrecht's report stated that eight out of the 11 studies found evidence for a link, as malignant tumors often sarcomas, which affect connective tissue) developed near the area of the chip in many of the animals [source: Albrecht] brecht concluded that the three studies that did not find this evidence were "deeply flawed" as they failed to either test a large enough population of animals or for a long enough period of time [source: Albrecht].
The microchips which have been used so successfully to reunite lost pets with their owners are even used with some people for medical monitoring purposes.
I read all of those “news” stories about cats accidentally stowed in a suitcase, or a shipping box, traveling across the country, but being reunited with their owners because they had a microchip, and I wanted that security of knowing that I did everything I could to keep my dog safe. Unfortunately, what I did in an effort to keep him safe is the likely cause of his cancer. Had we gotten our dog this year, instead of four years ago, this wouldn’t have happened. Four years ago, I thought any product sold in my vet’s office had to be safe .
Katherine Albrecht, who founded Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN), wants the microchipping of humans to end, so she has been pushing these types of studies into the public eye. Her efforts succeeded when the Associated Press released a story in September 2007 indicating that manufacturers of microchips for humans dismissed (or were irresponsibly unaware of) studies that show microchips might lead to cancer. When the story broke, the companies' shares sharply fell [source: Feder].
Albrecht's CASPIAN group then published a summary she put together of 11 studies performed between 1990 and 2006 that investigated the microchip-cancer link, including the one we just mentioned. Most of these studies research rodents, but a few used dogs o attempt to discover whether there was causal link. Albrecht's report stated that eight out of the 11 studies found evidence for a link, as malignant tumors often sarcomas, which affect connective tissue) developed near the area of the chip in many of the animals [source: Albrecht] brecht concluded that the three studies that did not find this evidence were "deeply flawed" as they failed to either test a large enough population of animals or for a long enough period of time [source: Albrecht].
The microchips which have been used so successfully to reunite lost pets with their owners are even used with some people for medical monitoring purposes.
I read all of those “news” stories about cats accidentally stowed in a suitcase, or a shipping box, traveling across the country, but being reunited with their owners because they had a microchip, and I wanted that security of knowing that I did everything I could to keep my dog safe. Unfortunately, what I did in an effort to keep him safe is the likely cause of his cancer. Had we gotten our dog this year, instead of four years ago, this wouldn’t have happened. Four years ago, I thought any product sold in my vet’s office had to be safe .
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