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11. What about wireless phone interference
with medical equipment?
Radiofrequency energy (RF) from wireless phones
can interact with some electronic devices. For
this reason, FDA helped develop a detailed test
method to measure electromagnetic interfer-
ence (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 defibrillators
are safe from wireless phone EMI. FDA has tested
hearing aids for interference from handheld
wireless phones and helped develop a voluntary
standard sponsored by the Institute of Electrical
and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). This standard
specifies test methods and performance require-
ments for hearing aids and wireless phones so
that that no interference occurs when a person
uses a “compatible” phone and a “compatible”
hearing aid at the same time. This standard was
approved by the IEEE in 2000.
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Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate
that wireless phones are harmful. But if you
are concerned about the RF exposure from
these products, you can use measures like those
described above to reduce your RF exposure
from wireless phone use.
10. What about children using wireless
phones?
The scientific evidence does not show a danger
to users of wireless phones, including children
and teenagers. If you want to take steps to
lower exposure to radiofrequency energy (RF),
the measures described above would apply to
children and teenagers using wireless phones.
Reducing the time of wireless phone use and
increasing the distance between the user and the
RF source will reduce RF exposure. Some groups
sponsored by other national governments have
advised that children be discouraged from using
wireless phones at all. For example, the govern-
ment in the United Kingdom distributed leaflets
containing such a recommendation in December
2000. They noted that no evidence exists that
using a wireless phone causes brain tumors
or other ill effects. Their recommendation to
limit wireless phone use by children was strictly
precautionary; it was not based on scientific evi-
dence that any health hazard exists.
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Summary of Contents for CDM8905
Page 2: ...User Guide CDM8905...