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can also contact the FDA toll-free at
(888) 463-6332 or (888) INFO-FDA.
In June 2000, the FDA entered
into a cooperative research and
development agreement through
which additional scientific research
is being conducted. The FCC issued
its own website publication stating
that “there is no scientific evidence
that proves that wireless phone usage
can lead to cancer or a variety of
other problems, including headaches,
dizziness or memory loss.” This
publication is available at http://
www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety or through
the FCC at (888) 225-5322 or (888)
CALL-FCC.
What does “SAR” mean?
In 1996, the FCC, working with
the FDA, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, and other
agencies, established RF exposure
safety guidelines for wireless phones
in the United States. Before a
wireless phone model is available for
sale to the public, it must be tested
by the manufacturer and certified
to the FCC that it does not exceed
limits established by the FCC. One of
these limits is expressed as a Specific
Absorption Rate, or “SAR.” SAR is
a measure of the rate of absorption
of RF energy in the body. Tests for
SAR are conducted with the phone
transmitting at its highest power level
in all tested frequency bands. Since
1996, the FCC has required that the
SAR of handheld wireless phones
not exceed 1.6 watts per kilogram,
averaged over one gram of tissue.
Although the SAR is determined at
the highest power level, the actual
SAR value of a wireless phone while
operating can be less than the
reported SAR value. This is because
the SAR value may vary from call to
call, depending on factors such as
proximity to a cell site, the proximity
of the phone to the body while in use,
and the use of hands-free devices.
Before a phone model is available for
sale to the public, it must be tested
and certified to the FCC that it does
not exceed the limit established by
the government-adopted requirement
for safe exposure. The tests are
performed in positions and locations
(e.g., at the ear and worn on the
For Your Safety
