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12
H
ealth
and
safet
y in
format
ion
Do wireless phone accessories
that claim to shield the head
from RF radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from
exposure to RF emissions from wireless
phones, there is no reason to believe that
accessories that claim to shield the head
from those emissions reduce risks. Some
products that claim to shield the user from
RF absorption use special phone cases,
while others involve nothing more than a
metallic accessory attached to the phone.
Studies have shown that these products
generally do not work as advertised. Unlike
“hand-free” kits, these so-called “shields”
may interfere with proper operation of the
phone. The phone may be forced to boost
its power to compensate, leading to an
increase in RF absorption. In February 2002,
the Federal trade Commission (FTC)
charged two companies that sold devices
that claimed to protect wireless phone users
from radiation with making false and
unsubstantiated claims. According to FTC,
these defendants lacked a reasonable basis
to substantiate their claim.
What about wireless phone
interference with medical
equipment?
Radio frequency energy (RF) from wireless
phones can interact with some electronic
devices. For this reason, FDA helped
develop a detailed test method to measure
electromagnetic interference (EMI) of
implanted cardiac pacemakers and
defibrillators from wireless telephones. This
test method is now part of a standard
sponsored by the Association for the
Advancement of Medical instrumentation
(AAMI). The final draft, a joint effort by FDA,
medical device manufacturers, and many
other groups, was completed in late 2000.
This standard will allow manufacturers to
ensure that cardiac pacemakers and