Merck Sued: HomeAgain® Pet Chip Implicated in Cancer

[Smiling_Shepherd]

Came across this Press Release of a lawsuit regarding tracking chips in animals.

I hope this will help provide additional information to people so we are better informed and can investigate the products we choose to use with our pets. We chose not to use them in our own animals. I've always wondered about the potential adverse of microchips which use RFID (Radio Frequency ID) technology as I've read various articles that reference studies that show they can cause cancer.

This could possibly be the cause of this cat's cancer. This would help raise awareness about a potential huge problem that will only get bigger. Countries around the world, including the US, are more and more starting to use these tracking chips (often enclosed in badges) to track the location and movements of children.

AP Report On RFID Chips And Cancer Raises Concerns

Chip Implants Linked to Animal Tumors - washingtonpost.com



PRESS RELEASE
http://www.chipmenot.org/mercksued.htm

[GSD Fan]

This is making me reluctant to get my future puppy chipped. I've never had a microchipped pet before.

[KZoppa]

if we live in base housing we're required to have our pets microchipped. I hate the idea. Its another excuse for yet another company to get money from us. Our dogs are microchipped because they're the large noticable ones.

[Montana Scout]

i call BS myself... there are THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of these chips put in place.. what are the odds that there could have been a tumor seed in place before the chip was in place? the RFID chips do not produce their own radiating signals like a cell phone or radio... I don't see to many people suing cell phone companies for ear cancer.
most people, and long living animals will get some sort of tumor, whether malignant or not. So who's to say that these chips cause cancer?

just BS IMHO

[Good_Karma]

I have to agree with Montana Scout. There's a small chance your dog could get a cancerous growth at the site of the chip implant. There's a much bigger chance you and your dog could get separated and need this chip to be identified and returned to you.

And think about all the things in your life that are proven to cause cancer, and yet you continue to expose yourself to them. Sunlight, BBQ. Life is a series of risks.

[Dainerra]

I look at it as a calculated risk. There are hundreds of thousands of chips in the US, let alone the rest of the world. The number of cases of cancer are very small. The number of lost/stolen pets is a much greater risk.

Any time you put something in your body, there is a risk of reaction. An animal that is prone to this would be the most likely to get cancer around the injection site. Then again, if that is the case there is a good chance they would get cancer in another spot or a different type of cancer.

I think that the numbers are so vast that the chips aren't the actual REAL cause of the cancer. That it is an overly aggressive reaction in some animals to a foreign substance that has the end result of a cancerous tumor.

[Stosh]

My vet doesn't microchip and neither did the breeder- both said they weren't sure the chips were safe

[kiwilrdg]

Since the chips only emit an RF signal when in the magnetic field of the reader it is not really a significant source of RF radiation. A purse dog gets much more RF from the cellphone in their carrier/owners purse.

I looked at a few of the references and I saw several problems with the control groups (which I am being generous in calling some of them control groups). Do not fly off the handle until you have really looked at the studies. I would proceed with caution, but it doesn't look like it is a problem.

[Rerun]

All of our dogs are microchipped....I agree with the others that said it before me. We have no way of knowing if that cat already had a small seed of cancer starting that no one knew about. Or consider that the cancer could've stated at a later date and just happened to be in that area.

Going with the theory that the chip caused the cancer - that is such a small percentage of a chance that it's a calculated risk one must decide for themselves. We've never lost one of our pets, but I want every possible bit of ID on and in them as possible. Having done so much rescue for so long (over a decade), I can not TELL you how many of my fosters were strays with no identification that couldn't be reunited with their owners.

edited...actually thanks for the reminder. Dante isn't chipped yet. Will be doing that ASAP!

[Jessiewessie99]

Tanner was chipped when he got to the shelter, and they changed the information for contact to our info. Molly also got it, advice from our vet.

I think the cancer is from another source, more researched needs to be done. I hear of cell phones causing cancer more than I do of micro chips causing cancer.