The pulse oximeter has recently become a widespread tool throughout the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in “How a popular medical device encodes racial bias,” Amy Moran-Thomas explains that this tool represents the racial issue since it has invalid indicators in non-white people (Thomas, 2020). The reason lies in the calibration of the apparatus, which does not consider darker skin tones. The major article’s audience is non-white people, and the purpose of the article is to explain why invalid items occur and identify possible solutions for the issue. The author supports it by providing a description of the tool’s working principle. For example, the author mentioned that pulse oximeters direct red and infrared lights through the finger and detect how much comes through on the other side (Thomas, 2020). Here lies the root of the problem: the degree of light absorption differs due to the darker skin tone. The author also uses the 2005 physician’s study as support to the claim. The author noted that the study revealed that most pulse oximeters are calibrated, ignoring the degree of skin pigmentation (Thomas, 2020). Thereby, the racial issue lies in an insufficient approach to the medical service since one considers pigmentation level as it does not matter. Moran-Thomas uses these supports since they formulate facts, on the basis of which one may be sure in the credibility and relevance of the main theme. To conclude, the author was able not only present a relevant issue supported by authentic sources but also to figure out how it can be dealt with. Thus, there are technical possibilities nowadays to calibrate pulse oximeters using additional pigmentation indicators.
Reference
Thomas, A. M. (2020). How a popular medical device encodes racial bias. Boston Review. Web.