This section outlines the safety precautions associated with using your phone. The terms “mobile
device” or “cell phone” are used in this section to refer to your phone. Read this information before
using your mobile device.
Exposure to Radio Frequency (RF) Signals
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published information for consumers relating
to Radio Frequency (RF) exposure from wireless phones. The FDA publication includes the
following information:
Do cell phones pose a health hazard?
Many people are concerned that cell phone radiation will cause cancer or other serious health hazards.
The weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems.
Cell phones emit low levels of Radio Frequency (RF) energy. Over the past 15 years, scientists have
conducted hundreds of studies looking at the biological effects of the radio frequency energy emitted by
cell phones. While some researchers have reported biological changes associated with RF energy, these
studies have failed to be replicated. The majority of studies published have failed to show an association
between exposure to radio frequency from a cell phone and health problems.
The low levels of RF cell phones emit while in use are in the microwave frequency range. They also
emit RF at substantially reduced time intervals when in the stand-by mode. Whereas high levels of RF
can produce health effects (by heating tissue), exposure to low level RF that does not produce heating
effects causes no known adverse health effects.
The biological effects of radio frequency energy should not be confused with the effects from other
types of electromagnetic energy.
Very high levels of electromagnetic energy, such as is found in X-rays and gamma rays, can ionize
biological tissues. Ionization is a process where electrons are stripped away from their normal
locations in atoms and molecules. It can permanently damage biological tissues including DNA, the
genetic material.
The energy levels associated with radio frequency energy, including both radio waves and microwaves,
are not great enough to cause ionization of atoms and molecules. Therefore, RF energy is a type of
non-ionizing radiation. Other types of non-ionizing radiation include visible light, infrared radiation
(heat), and other forms of electromagnetic radiation with relatively low frequencies.
While RF energy does not ionize particles, large amounts can increase body temperatures and cause
tissue damage. Two areas of the body, the eyes and the testes, are particularly vulnerable to RF heating
because there is relatively little blood flow in them to carry away excess heat.
Research Results to Date: Is there a connection between RF and certain health problems?
The results of most studies conducted to date say no. In addition, attempts to replicate and confirm the
few studies that have shown a connection have failed.
The scientific community at large therefore believes that the weight of scientific evidence does not
show an association between exposure to Radio Frequency (RF) from cell phones and adverse
health outcomes. Still the scientific community has supported additional research to address gaps in
knowledge. Some of these studies are described below.
Interphone Study
Interphone is a large international study designed to determine whether cell phones increase the risk
of head and neck cancer. A report published in the International Journal of Epidemiology (June, 2010)
compared cell phone usage for more than 5,000 people with brain tumors (glioma and meningioma)
and a similar number of healthy controls.
Results of this study did NOT show that cell phones caused brain cancer. In this study, most people
had no increased risk of brain cancer from using cell phones. For people with the heaviest use of cell
phones (an average of more than ½ hour per day, every day, for over 10 years) the study suggested
a slight increase in brain cancer. However, the authors determined that biases and errors prevented
any conclusions being drawn from this data. Additional information about Interphone can be found at
http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2010/pdfs/pr200_E.pdf.
Interphone is the largest cell phone study to date, but it did not answer all questions about cell phone
safety. Additional research is being conducted around the world, and the FDA continues to monitor
developments in this field.
International Cohort Study on Mobile Phone Users (COSMOS)
The COSMOS study aims to conduct long-term health monitoring of a large group of people to
determine if there are any health issues linked to long-term exposure to radio frequency energy
from cell phone use. The COSMOS study will follow approximately 300,000 adult cell phone users
in Europe for 20 to 30 years. Additional information about the COSMOS study can be found at
http://www.ukcosmos.org/index.html.
Risk of Brain Cancer from Exposure to Radio Frequency Fields in Childhood and Adolescence
(MOBI-KIDS)
MOBI-KIDS is an international study investigating the relationship between exposure to
radio frequency energy from communication technologies including cell phones and brain
cancer in young people. This is an international multi-center study involving 14 European
and non-European countries. Additional information about MOBI-KIDS can be found at
http://www.creal.cat/programes-recerca/en_projectes-creal/view.php?ID=39.
Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) actively follows cancer statistics in the United States to detect
any change in rates of new cases for brain cancer. If cell phones play a role in risk for brain cancer,
rates should go up, because heavy cell phone use has been common for quite some time in the U.S.
Between 1987 and 2005, the overall age-adjusted incidence of brain cancer did not increase. Additional
information about SEER can be found at http://seer.cancer.gov/.
Cell Phone Industry Actions
Although the existing scientific data do not justify FDA regulatory actions, the FDA has urged the cell
phone industry to take a number of steps, including the following:
• Support-needed research on possible biological effects of RF for the type of signal emitted by
cell phones;
