Have a pacemaker? Keep your cell phone at least 6 inches away

Magnets used in portable devices including cellphones and smart watches may impair pacemakers and affect other implanted devices, the Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday. 

The FDA advises keeping cellphones and smart watches at least 6 inches away from pacemakers, defibrillators and other potentially life-saving mechanisms to avoid potential interaction.  The magnets can inadvertently cause the medical devices to enter "magnet mode," causing them to stop functioning, according to the agency. The devices are supposed to go into magnet mode during medical procedures such as an MRI scan, but can lead to adverse consequences in other scenarios.