Kim A. Eagle, MD, a cardiologist and a director of the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center, explained that “establishing a validated pacemaker reutilization program could transform a currently wasted resource into an opportunity for a new life for many citizens in the world.”
Eagle notes that small humanitarian efforts have demonstrated that the risk of infection when using recycled pacemakers is the same—less than 2 percent—as implanting a new device. Patients also live as long and have as good a quality of life with a recycled pacemaker as patients who receive a new one.
Even though the cost of new pacemakers is as low as $800 in some foreign markets, this amount is “often more than the annual income of the average worker in underdeveloped nations,” noted Eagle. Cardiovascular disease continues to be an epidemic in these countries and others around the world.
Bill Daem has been doing this without the approval of the medical establishment since the mid 90s. During that time he has sent between 1,400 and 1,600 pacemakers overseas. Many of them were given to children. This new study may help Bill's organization Heart Too Heart expand it's efforts.
Read about the Michigan Study
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101019171900.htm
Bill Daem's recommendations for recycling pacemakers, hearing aides, eyeglasses, etc...
http://www.mywhatever.com/cifwriter/content/19/abcd1675.html
University of Michigan's Project site:
http://www.myheartyourheart.org
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