Awareness of Security and Privacy Issues in Implantable Medical Devices: A Comprehensive Survey

Implantable Medical Devices (IMD’S) are advanced electronic medical devices which is surgically placed in the human body to treat medical conditions and monitor health or improve body functions. Some common examples include pacemakers, neurostimulators, drug delivery systems, and biosensors. IMD’s play a significant role in managing chronic diseases and enhancing patient quality life. Due to advancement in technology the integration of IMD’s into healthcare systems has transformed modern medicines and enabling continuous monitoring along with personalized care. However, IMD’S are associated with significant security and privacy challenges, such as hacking, data breaches, and interference, which can compromise patient safety. Pharmacists have critical role in addressing the safety and privacy of IMD’s. They contribute by educating patients, monitoring device compliance, and collaborating with healthcare teams to implement secure practices. A survey conducted among 200 participants (including 50 pharmacists, 50 doctors, 25 IMD patients, and 75 pharmacy students) explored awareness and understanding of IMD security risks. Among healthcare providers, 88% of pharmacists and 92% of doctors recognized the potential for security risks like hacking. However, only 32% of pharmacists and 55% of doctors consistently discuss these risks with patients. Regarding current technology, 78% of pharmacists believed IMDs are secure, compared to only 36% of doctors. Patients showed moderate awareness, with 64% being somewhat familiar with security issues, but 48% admitted they had not considered cyber threats. Pharmacy students displayed higher awareness due to academic exposure, with 58.7% somewhat familiar with the risks and 46.7% acknowledging the importance of knowing about security.