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Safety Guidelines
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Safety Guidelines
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 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 requirements for
hearing aids and wireless phones
so 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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