Article: "Latest cellphones are a danger in hospitals" by Staff; Issue 2621 9/15/07, Vol.195

The Staff's article discusses the dangers of cellphones in hospitals around medical equipment. Many hospitals already restrict cellphones to prevent signals interfering with sensitive medical equipment. Studies now suggest that modern cellphones are a bigger threat now. These cellphones are threatening because they contain a GPRS signal (General Packet Radio Service). This device can interfere with equipment for up to three meters away. UMTS signal are less threatened (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) because they're in old models. Today authorities offer guidelines to hospital but they are being ignored especially by doctors.

I personally didn't know about the dangers of cellphones in hospitals until I read this article. I think about the interference they're causing and how a person's life could be depending on a certain type of medical equipment that is being interfered with by a cellphone. It really ticks me off though that the many doctors that know about cellphone interferences ignore guidelines. As far as I know doctors are suppose to take an oath and follow it. And the overall idea of the oath is to protect humans and do the best for them. I worry now that a family member of mine would have to depend on medical equipment and still live with the torment of interference with a cellphone. I'll do my best to think about cellphone dangers when I'm in a hospital again.