Problems with pulse oximeters have been known for decades, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that the real dangers to Black patients became clear.

FILE - A health worker uses a pulse oximeter to check the oxygen saturation level of another after administering COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Gauhati, India, Jan. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Anupam ...

Problems with pulse oximeters have been known for decades, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that the real dangers to Black patients became clear.

FILE - A health worker uses a pulse oximeter to check the oxygen saturation level of another after administering COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Gauhati, India, Jan. 21, 2021.

Problems with pulse oximeters have been known for decades, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that the real dangers to Black patients became clear.

In 2021, the FDA warned doctors about potential inaccuracies with oximeters after a study found the devices tended to overestimate Black patients’ oxygen levels, which could lead to delays in ...

FILE - A health worker uses a pulse oximeter to check the oxygen saturation level of another after administering COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Gauhati, India, Jan. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Anupam ...