Racial disparity in clip-on devices to measure oxygen levels in blood under scrutiny by FDA – CBC

Several recent studies raised concerns that the pigmentation in people’s skin can throw off readings

Nov 01, 2022

The clip-on devices that use light to measure oxygen levels in the blood are getting a closer look from U.S. regulators after recent studies suggest they don’t work as well for patients of colour.

The devices, called pulse oximeters, usually snap onto a finger and are widely used in hospitals across the globe to help guide treatment. At-home versions became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But several recent studies have raised concerns that the pigmentation in people’s skin can throw off the readings. In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about possible inaccuracies after a study found the devices tended to overestimate Black patients’ oxygen levels.

“The fact that such a commonly used device could have any discrepancy at all was shocking to me,” said Michael Sjoding, a University of Michigan pulmonologist who led the study. “I make a lot of medical decisions based on this device.”

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/oximeter-fda-race-1.6636812

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