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Pacemakers Offer Limited Help in Police Investigations
The heart devices do not track location or transmit data across long distances, experts say.
Published on Feb. 5, 2026
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The kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, has highlighted the limitations of using pacemaker data in police investigations. Experts say pacemakers constantly record heart rate data but do not provide information on a patient's location. The devices only transmit data to remote monitors when in close proximity, usually within 10 feet. While pacemaker data can be useful in determining the time of death, it offers little help in tracking a missing person's whereabouts.
Why it matters
This case underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in utilizing medical technology like pacemakers to aid investigations. As more people rely on implanted devices, there are growing questions about their potential forensic applications and privacy concerns around accessing patient data.
The details
Pacemakers are designed to monitor heart rate and prevent it from dropping too low, sending electronic pulses to drive the rate back up. However, the devices do not track location or transmit data across large distances. Investigators would need the patient to be within about 10 feet of the remote monitoring device in order to access the pacemaker data. Even then, the data would only indicate whether the device is functioning properly and provide alerts about heart rhythm issues, not the patient's whereabouts.
- Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, was recently kidnapped.
The players
Nancy Guthrie
The 84-year-old mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie who was recently kidnapped.
Savannah Guthrie
The NBC News anchor whose mother, Nancy Guthrie, was recently kidnapped.
Dr. Michael Mack
A heart surgeon at Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas who commented on the limitations of pacemakers in police investigations.
Dr. Roderick Tung
The director of the cardiac electrophysiology program at the Banner — University Medical Center Phoenix in Arizona who explained how pacemakers transmit data.
Dr. Kenneth Stein
The global chief medical officer at Boston Scientific, which makes pacemakers, who provided details on pacemaker data transmission.
What they’re saying
“A pacemaker 'would not help' find someone who was kidnapped.”
— Dr. Michael Mack, heart surgeon at Baylor Scott & White Health
“Suppose someone is away from the monitor and that person's heart rhythm becomes erratic? Then, that event would be stored in the pacemaker and relayed only when the person gets close to the monitor.”
— Dr. Roderick Tung, director of the cardiac electrophysiology program at the Banner — University Medical Center Phoenix
“There is a lot of cybersecurity to make sure it is protected, limiting the risk of a patient's private information being exposed.”
— Dr. Kenneth Stein, global chief medical officer at Boston Scientific
The takeaway
This case highlights the limitations of using pacemaker data in police investigations, as the devices are designed to monitor heart health rather than track a person's location. While pacemakers can provide some forensic information, such as time of death, they do not offer real-time location tracking capabilities that could aid in missing persons cases.
