Trending Topics

Should medical alert tattoos be regulated?

Some experts say organizations like the American Diabetes Association should produce guidelines on the optimal placement and general shape for tattoos so EMS knows where to look

USA Today

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. — Ben Roberts, a 33-year-old from Fowlerville, Mich., estimates that medical bracelets and necklaces have cost him more than $1,000 since he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 6.

Frustrated, he headed to a local tattoo parlor four years ago. “It’s a negative thing to say, but diabetes isn’t going away any time soon,” he said. “You might as well get a tattoo.”

Today, “Diabetic, Type 1" is tattooed underneath the six-pointed “Star of Life” with a snake running through it, the traditional symbol for emergency medical services.

Read full story: Unregulated rise of medical alert tattoos stirs debate

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU