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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is It Legal To Place A Magnet Over A Defibrillator To Cause It To Malfunction In Order To Cause Death?

Is it legal to place a magnet over a defibrillator to cause it to malfunction in order to cause death??
This was done to my father and i am trying to find out if in fact it was legal. It was not that i know of, ordered by a physician. It did in fact cause my fathers death. This was done by my sister, she is an RN. She, along with another nurse working at the time are the ones that placed it over the defibrillator. It was not done to save him, and was done without the orders of a physician. I just want to know if I have any legal recourse as my father had a strong will to live and would have never agreed to this.
Sat, 24 Mar 2012
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Cardiologist, Interventional 's  Response
hello n welcome ....
first of all use of magnet is commonly done by physician and during PROGRAMMING of pacemaker defibrillator. usually use of magnet done by physician in many occasions therapeutically.
if it happens by mistake or unknowingly even then death is unlikely. becoz magnet usually fix that pacemaker defibrillator in a fixed rate or programme.
i think whatever they have done may be therapeutically needed in that particular case.
that is the reason its usually says that person with defibrillator/pacemaker should avoid MRI /SCANNER in airport. that can cause malfunction but death is unlikely.
good luck ....
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  User's Response
Linda Smith's  Response
Uh, no... not only is it illegal but the Doctor should have known better. Rather accidental or purposely it is "Malpractice," in the medical field there is no room for mistakes because mistakes obviously cost lives. Was this Dr. Kevorkian???

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Is It Legal To Place A Magnet Over A Defibrillator To Cause It To Malfunction In Order To Cause Death?

hello n welcome .... first of all use of magnet is commonly done by physician and during PROGRAMMING of pacemaker defibrillator. usually use of magnet done by physician in many occasions therapeutically. if it happens by mistake or unknowingly even then death is unlikely. becoz magnet usually fix that pacemaker defibrillator in a fixed rate or programme. i think whatever they have done may be therapeutically needed in that particular case. that is the reason its usually says that person with defibrillator/pacemaker should avoid MRI /SCANNER in airport. that can cause malfunction but death is unlikely. good luck ....