SFLC Wants To Avoid Death by Code

foregather writes "The Software Freedom Law Center has released some independent research on the safety of software close to our hearts: that inside of implantable medical devices like pacemakers and insulin pumps. It turns out that nobody is minding the store at the regulatory level and patients and doctors are blocked from examining the source code keeping them alive. From the article: 'The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for evaluating the risks of new devices and monitoring the safety and efficacy of those currently on market. However, the agency is unlikely to scrutinize the software operating on devices during any phase of the regulatory process unless a model that has already been surgically implanted repeatedly malfunctions or is recalled. ... Despite the crucial importance of these devices and the absence of comprehensive federal oversight, medical device software is considered the exclusive property of its manufacturers, meaning neither patients nor their doctors are permitted to access their IMD's source code or test its security.'"

Comments

Re:So what

[cosm]

I agree with you, partly. Hardware that is literally the only thing keeping you alive should be subject to some regulation. I don't think code-reviews by bureaucrats is a good option, but perhaps independent third parties would be a start. If your heart stopped tomorrow, would you feel comfortable with your pulse being driven by some opcodes a small team put together with no oversight? Other examples of this are like the FDA, the FAA, and other agencies that monitor products / services that have the potential to end life. I am not saying they are perfect, but taking in cases of life and death, you need a bit of regulation sometimes to keep big business from getting greedy and disregarding human life.

Yes, agencies like the FDA have become bureaucratic clusterfucks of non-progression and end up doing more damage than good. This is relatively true. But this can be fixed, by voting looking at representatives voting records, voicing your opinion to congressmen, and spreading the word to everybody you know, kicking these moneysuckling asshats out. If we all take a lackadaisical position towards government participation, you cannot expect it to get any better.