There are many people around the world who have diabetes in different forms. As a result, these patients need to ensure that when they travel, they have everything they need to avoid a medical episode. But what happens if your medical devices are allegedly destroyed by the airport TSA? A Boston, Massachusetts, mother recounts how her daughter’s Tandem insulin pump was unable to go through the airport TSA X-ray while they were on vacation. As a result, it had to be swabbed separately, and the events that follow are not only shocking but also expensive.
The above video was posted to the TikTok account @warriortats, a mother of a young girl with diabetes. She tends to post about the different complications that come with having the illness alongside her daily preparations to ensure that her daughter doesn’t have a medical episode. In this video, she talks about something that happened at the airport she was at before leaving for a trip to Jamaica (as seen in a previous video she posted).
She explains that her daughter’s Tandem insulin pump was flagged by TSA after it had been swabbed as having explosive material. The mother explains that the TSA agent helping them said he couldn’t return the pump until they could open it and check its contents by breaking its seal. However, the pump itself must be sealed for Tandem to take the product back.
Without any other choice, the seal had to be broken, meaning the $5,000 pump likely cannot be returned. Despite her calm, smiling demeanor, it’s clear this situation is both unfortunate and annoying.
Boston Girl’s Tandem Insulin Pump Reportedly Tests Positive for Explosives
Commenters were not really shocked about TSA’s actions but many did note that their actions were likely not legal, with one person saying, “hey, TSA. it’s against the law to destroy medical devices.” Another person commented that TSA should be held accountable, saying, “TSA needs to be liable for the damages they cause.”
An update video has not been posted to show the aftermath of the situation. However, I hope the now-viral video makes it easier for them to make their case when they call Tandem about whether they can still take the product back.
