Today, the VeriChip Corporation launches their first direct-to-consumer marketing campaign for human-implantable passive RFID chips.
The identification system has been dubbed “Health Link” because its purpose is to store patients’ health and medical information and provide an “information bridge” between patients and hospitals.
When a patient becomes unconscious or is unable to communicate, emergency room doctors and nurses can instantly access private health data by scanning the Health Link RFID chip implanted in your arm.
Although the cost of Health Link is not mentioned in this press release, the use of the word “subscribers” indicates the business model will operate on some kind of subscription basis.
Questions:
1. Would you personally promote or market this product to the public?
2. Would you subscribe to this service as a consumer?
3. Why or why not?
Please leave a comment below. Thanks!
-Ryan M. Healy
P.S. Interesting that the VeriChip is headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida… the same place where AWAI is based.
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16 comments ↓
I think the product would be an easy sell- I’d market it. South Florida has good demographics for the product, and the product’s premise is sound.
If I were old and in danger of dying if I had an accident, I’d “subscribe”. But I’m young & fit so don’t see myself needing to invest in such a thing.
It sounds like the microchip you can put in your pets in case they get lost. I think I’d be okay with promoting it, but I don’t think I’d use it any time soon; I don’t have any known health problems.
I personally do not trust this type of chip implantation. This is the beginning of a slippery slope that the world is going to slide down…..First, the “health chip” to store health records, then the chip will be able to store financial records…move on to the mandatory storage of all of your account numbers to the chip…next use the chip to swipe your numbers at the check out to pay for goods….Finally, total government control as they will now be able to track anyone in the world.
Also, this has been predicted for years now and the outcome is not so good…
P.S. I’d be happy to have visitors to my blog. I’ve had it a few weeks but it’s pretty quiet there! That’s me in the top left corner of “recent visitors.” Thanks.
Oh hell no! You can get something very similar from http://www.OnFile.com without having a beacon placed under your skin.
I think I need to leave it at that before I go into a tirade about the North American Union, National ID Cards (which are RFID ready) and other unfortunate things sold under the guise of “our best interest” and “personal safety.”
Absolutely not. Wouldn’t sell it. Wouldn’t use it.
We all know how messed up medical records can get now. What happens when they get an implant in you with the wrong blood type on it?
It’s too easy for criminals to scan and steal information off these things too.
Not to mention that if they malfunction, it could be a literal bloody mess.
Let me guess that the CEO still hasn’t gotten around to getting chipped himself, has he?
If you need to carry medical information around, we have a lot of good solutions now. The costs seriously outweigh the benefits of becoming a walking radio transmitter.
Wouldn’t sell it. Wouldn’t use it. Would sue to prevent using it if some government official wanted to force everyone to use it “for our best interests.”
I won’t market a product that I find morally objectionable. And I find anything that allows for easy stealing of personal data to be morally objectionable.
Heck, if the largest, most financially flush banks and credit companies can’t keep from leaking our data, including Social Security Numbers, onto the internet, there is no way that I think that any other company is going to be able to keep that data safe.
And, personally, I’m for independence and personal responsibility over perceived “security.” (BTW, it’s always perceived security. Nothing can ever be completely, infallibly guaranteed in our human society. Especially data. Everything is hackable. Everything. Never forget that.)
- John
I am a registered nurse and I really don’t see where there is a huge problem with not knowing the patient’s health information.
Most of the time the patient is accompanied by a family member or other individual that is able to give a history.
This is just another scare tactic to try to get people to allow the government and other outside agencies permission to get involved in areas where they have no business being involved.
It’s time to be responsible for yourself. If you have a medical condition that the Emergency Dept should be aware of… wear a Medic bracelet or necklace.
This whole “chip” thing should never be allowed to happen and we as Americans should not promote it.
Someone could come right along & rip that medic bracelet off your hand- they’d know you had diabetes and … then what? You’re accosted in your own home by sales people trying to force diabetes products down your throat?
Anyway, is this a marketing & copy blog, or a constitutional rights blog?
I wouldn’t market it. I wouldn’t subscribe to it. It’s a totally unnecessary product looking for a market.
I wouldn’t trust the veracity of the security, nor would put it past identity thieves to target this type of device once there were enough out walking around to make it worth their while.
@Jon - this type of product does indeed bring up constitutional issues, or at least freedom issues. It’s impossible to separate them.
Hmmm…I’m rethinking my position after reading all these posts. My *first* thought was, it sounds like the mark of the beast. But then I thought, well, it’s really more like the microchip for pets.
But yeah, it does bring up privacy and security issues. And I also think that if I *did* have health issues…I would still not use it, which should tell me something.
Very provocative. What do you say, Ryan–would you?
Jon asks, “Anyway, is this a marketing & copy blog, or a constitutional rights blog?”
To answer the question, this blog is about copywriting and marketing. And I wrote this post because it brings up real issues copywriters face.
Only a couple months ago, a guy contacted me about a copywriting project. He was selling a product about “how to break into the adult entertainment industry and become a pornstar.” (His words, not mine.)
Before that, a woman contacted me about helping her promote an info product about how to get into the escort business.
The examples I’ve listed are (to me) clear. I will not support or promote products of that nature.
But some products (perhaps the VeriChip) cross into a gray area. Is the product “right” or “wrong?” Should a copywriter take a fee for promoting such a product? Where do we draw the line?
Lisa writes, “Very provocative. What do you say, Ryan–would you?”
The answer is no. Based on what I know, I would not write copy to promote the VeriChip. Although, it becomes more difficult to make sound decisions when a large copywriting fee is on the line.
Which is why I make an initial decision before I ever find out what the prospect is willing to pay. The answer is “no” from the start. We never even have a consultation to discuss the project. There’s really no point.
Anyway, I hope this specific real-life example gets you thinking about ethics in copywriting… and what you personally will or won’t do for money.
Ryan,
Hear…Hear…. I am in total agreement with you on this one! It is very tempting to loosen your morals at times when a huge amount of money is being waved in front of your face….especially when you have bills that need to be paid.
But you have to remember that when it is all said and done will you be able to lay your head on your pillow at night and feel that you have stayed true to yourself?
hey ryan, a few months ago i was also approached by someone to write copy for a “become an escort” product. now, i’m a married man so i have no clue how i’d go about doing market research for that one.
Ryan said, “Before that, a woman contacted me about helping her promote an info product about how to get into the escort business.”
Sounds like the same woman who contacted me a while back as well! I told her, “no thanks” too!
But back to your post. Would I market it? Yes, if I knew it was going to be used responsibly. For example, helping seniors or people with health issues in need is a noble cause, and this product could actually save lives.
Would I subscribe? Probably not, unless my health was in danger and I learned more about how this would be used, the dangers of infection or rejection by the body, whether the hospitals in my area had access to this technology, and a host of other factors.
Cheers,
John
For completeness…
Revelation 13:16 “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
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