Why X-rays in shoe stores were a really bad idea

Vanessa Burrows, FDA historian

X-rays have enhanced healthcare in a variety of ways since their discovery in the late 19th century. But like many cutting-edge scientific developments, the technology has also inspired uses of uncertain therapeutic value. That was the case with the shoe-fitting fluoroscope, the subject of the latest episode of FDA’s history video series.

Marketed as a scientific method for optimizing shoe fit, the fluoroscope appeared in shoe stores nationwide from the 1920s to the 1960s. But the machines not only didn’t do what they promised, they also exposed children, their parents and store clerks to unhealthy doses of radiation.

In the late 1940s, scientists and regulators began to raise serious concerns about the dangerous levels of radiation. Over the next 2 decades, individual states gradually took action to either ban or restrict the use of the device.

By the 1970s, concerns grew about radiation emitted from common appliances, such as televisions and microwave ovens. And in 1971, FDA was given authority to regulate radiation-emitting devices. The agency continues this oversight, working to protect consumers from harmful novelty devices like the shoe-fitting fluoroscope. FDA also sets standards for medical imaging, surgical and therapeutic equipment, security systems, and consumer products – all for the protection of the health of American consumers.

We hope you enjoy your visit to FDA’s HistoryVault.

Vanessa Burrows is an FDA Historian.

The opinions expressed in this blog post are the author’s only and do not necessarily reflect those of MedicalDesignandOutsourcing.com or its employees.