According to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), medical and safety equipment which rely on the 3G network must be upgraded before the shutdown on October 28, and the manufacturers of these devices and their agents must alert consumers to these changes.

“To ensure this occurs, the Therapeutic Goods Administration should put in place appropriate requirements, including strong penalties for non-compliance. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency should also alert health professionals to the potential impact on consumers,” cautions ACCAN.

ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said the recent delay to the shutdown of the 3G network was to be applauded, but there was growing concern that people were not being warned about the impact on medical devices.

“Many people are simply unaware that devices like insulin pumps, heart rate monitors and personal safety alarms may all be impacted by the shutdown of 3G networks by Telstra and Optus. It is a major health risk,” Bennett said.

“Medical devices are poorly regulated in Australia, they fall far short of pharmaceutical regulation even though they involve implanting equipment into people’s bodies. This has led to some catastrophic failures historically around surgical mesh, breast implants and ASR hip implants.”

Bennett also said it was not acceptable for manufacturers to fail to maintain appropriate records or contact patients when there are device failures or at risk of failure.

“The Therapeutic Goods Administration should require medical device manufacturers and their agents to take urgent action to alert consumers to these changes and put in place penalties for non-compliance.” she said.

“The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) should also alert medical practitioners of the changes so they can ensure they can manage appropriate medical care where medical and safety equipment is being used to manage health conditions.

“ACCAN advocated successfully for a delay to the shutdown of Telstra and Optus 3G networks that was due at the end of August. It was concerned about the impact of the shutdown on medical devices but also the number of people that would no longer be able to use the phones to contact 000.”

Bennett noted: “The interim findings of the Senate Committee which looked into the 3G shutdown, released in August, found that up to 380,000 mobile phones may be unable to make regular calls or reach triple zero emergency services when the nation’s 3G networks was due to be switched off.”