FDA Requests Help from EMS

By EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy, Ph.D., NRP, RN, CCRN
NYSAFC EMS Committee

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked for assistance in encouraging anyone with knowledge of a patient experience in radiofrequency interference (RFI) of electronic medical devices, such as cardiac monitors, defibrillators, pacemakers, pulse oximetry, EtCO2, etc. to submit a confidential report with the details of the incident. Click here for more information.

The FDA has a special team that wishes to evaluate the incidence of RFI in medical devices and make recommendations for mitigating its effects to patients in air medical or ground ambulances. Please feel free to distribute this information freely.

A recent report of airport radar shutting off the monitor-defibrillator in an ALS transport unit has raised eyebrows at the FDA.