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11. What about wireless phone interference with
medical equipment?
Radio frequency energy (RF) from wireless phones can
interact with some electronic devices. For this reason,
the 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 the 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.
The 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.
The FDA continues to monitor the use of wireless
phones for possible interactions with other medical
devices. Should harmful interference be found to occur,
the FDA will conduct testing to assess the interference
and work to resolve the problem.
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wireless phone away from your body or use a wireless
phone connected to a remote antenna.
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 radio frequency 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.
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