FDA update on wireless phones
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steps to minimize your exposure to radiofrequency
energy (RF). Since time is a key factor in how much
exposure a person receives, reducing the amount
of time spent using a wireless phone will reduce
RF exposure. If you must conduct extended
conversations by wireless phone every day, you
could place more distance between your body and
the source of the RF, since the exposure level
drops off dramatically with distance. For example,
you could use a headset and carry the wireless
phone away from your body or use a wireless
phone connected to a remote antenna. Again, the
scientific data does 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 government 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 evidence that any health hazard
exists.
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 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
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