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electromagnetic interference of pacemakers by mobile phones.

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Irnich W, Batz L, Muller R, Tobisch R · 1996

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One-third of pacemakers tested showed interference from mobile phones, but keeping devices 20 cm away completely prevented problems.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

German researchers tested 231 pacemaker models from 20 manufacturers to see if mobile phones interfere with their function. They found that about one-third of pacemakers experienced interference from certain phone frequencies, but simple precautions like keeping phones 20 cm away from the chest completely prevented problems. The study concluded that while interference is possible, it's easily avoided and affects very few patients in real-world conditions.

Why This Matters

This 1996 study provides crucial evidence that EMF interference with medical devices is not just theoretical but measurable and significant. What makes this research particularly valuable is its comprehensive scope, testing hundreds of pacemaker models across multiple frequencies used by mobile networks at the time. The findings reveal that 34% of pacemakers tested showed interference with 900 MHz digital signals, affecting an estimated 27% of patients with those devices. The reality is that this interference occurs at very close distances, which explains why simple precautions work so effectively. This research demonstrates the importance of understanding EMF interactions with sensitive electronics, especially as we become increasingly surrounded by wireless devices. The study's practical guidance remains relevant today: distance is your friend when it comes to protecting sensitive medical equipment from electromagnetic interference.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 450 MHz - 1.80 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 450 MHz - 1.80 GHzPower lines50/60 HzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 450 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz

Study Details

It was the intention of our investigation to test as many pacemaker models as possible to determine whether incompatibility with mobile phones of different modes may exist, using an in vitro measuring setup.

We had access to 231 different models of 20 manufacturers. During the measurements, a pulse generato...

Out of 231 pulse generator models, 103 pieces corresponding to 44.6% were influenced either by C- or...

A risk analysis reveals that the portion of patients really suffering from mobile phones is about 1 out of 100,000. Nevertheless, it would be desirable in the future if implanting physicians would use only pacemakers with immunity against mobile phones as guaranteed by the manufacturers.

Cite This Study
Irnich W, Batz L, Muller R, Tobisch R (1996). electromagnetic interference of pacemakers by mobile phones. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 19(10):1431-1446, 1996.
Show BibTeX
@article{w_1996_electromagnetic_interference_of_pacemakers_2232,
  author = {Irnich W and Batz L and Muller R and Tobisch R},
  title = {electromagnetic interference of pacemakers by mobile phones.},
  year = {1996},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8904533/},
}
PubMed: 8904533

Cited By (180 papers)

View all 180 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

No, 900 MHz phones interfered with only 34.2% of the 231 pacemaker models tested in this German study. About two-thirds of pacemakers showed no interference, and six manufacturers produced models completely unaffected by 900 MHz signals.
Only 18.6% of living pacemaker patients use models susceptible to 450 MHz phone interference. However, researchers calculated that real-world interference affects only about 1 in 100,000 pacemaker patients due to simple distance precautions.
Keeping handheld phones 20 cm away from your chest completely prevents pacemaker interference, according to this 1996 study of 231 models. Portable phones require about 50 cm distance for guaranteed pacemaker integrity.
Yes, 1800 MHz phones (E-net) caused zero interference in all 231 pacemaker models tested. This frequency proved completely safe compared to 450 MHz and 900 MHz phones, which affected about one-third of devices.
No, carrying phones in the chest pocket over the pacemaker creates interference risk. However, using the opposite pocket or belt position guarantees undisturbed pacemaker operation in 99% of patients, according to this research.