(i KNEW this would happen.)

FDA Clears Implantable Chip for Market in United States The Associated Press Apr 4, 2002 13:40 EST

PALM BEACH, Fla. (Dow Jones/AP) - The Food and Drug Administration has cleared the way for Applied Digital Solutions Inc. to begin selling an implantable chip that would contain personal identification and medical data, the company said Thursday. Applied Digital, Palm Beach, said it had received a letter indicating that the FDA does not consider the chip a medical device under its jurisdiction. VeriChip, a small device about the size of a grain of rice, emits a radio signal and has been derided by some for its "Big Brother" implications. Applied Digital has said it could prove invaluable in emergency situations when a patient is either unconscious or can't otherwise reveal information. VeriChip is expected to sell for about $200. A scanner used to read information contained in the chip would cost between $1,000 and $3,000. Shares of Applied Digital rose 4 cents, or 8 percent, to 52 cents in Thursday midday trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

ap.tbo.com