Quick — name the government agency that is making sweeping pronouncements affecting the medical device industry, and shape (meddling?) in the technology that reaches patients?
We’ll forgive you if you guessed “the FDA” which is frequently the right answer on Medgadget.com. But in fact we’re talking about the FCC, which has recently made some key decisions regarding medical device communications and telemetry:
The FCC yesterday approved a notice of proposed rulemaking to create a MedRadio band from 401-406 MHz that would allocate an additional 2 MHz of spectrum for radio transmissions from implanted and body-worn medical devices.
Currently, the 402-405 MHz Medical Implant Communications Services (MICS) band is used for radio transmissions from implanted medical devices. Under the MedRadio proposal, the rules for this band would remain, including requirements that implanted devices be frequency agile.
We did some searching and learned “frequency agile” means the devices change their broadcasting and reception characteristics as conditions warrant, to better ensure transmission. We think. It sounds cool, but learning the ins and outs of another regulatory government agency leaves us a little wary…
More from the FCC…
Flashback: The FCC wants to hear from medical device engineers….
