energy (RF). FDA has been a leading participant in the World Health Organization
International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project since its inception in 1996. An
influential result of this work has been the development of a detailed agenda
of research needs that has driven the establishment of new research programs
around the world. The Project has also helped develop a series of public information
documents on EMF issues. FDA and the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet
Association (CTIA) have a formal Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
(CRADA) to do research on wireless phone safety. FDA provides the scientific
oversight, obtaining input from experts in government, industry, and academic
organizations. CTIA-funded research is conducted through contracts to independent
investigators. The initial research will include both laboratory studies and studies of
wireless phone users. The CRADA will also include a broad assessment of additional
research needs in the context of the latest research developments around the world.
7. How can I find out how much radiofrequency energy exposure I can get
by using my wireless phone?
All phones sold in the United States must comply with Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) guidelines that limit radiofrequency energy (RF) exposures. FCC
established these guidelines in consultation with FDA and the other federal health
and safety agencies. The FCC limit for RF exposure from wireless telephones is set
at a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). The FCC
limit is consistent with the safety standards developed by the Institute of Electrical
and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) and the National Council on Radiation Protection
and Measurement. The exposure limit takes into consideration the body’s ability to
remove heat from the tissues that absorb energy from the wireless phone and is set
well below levels known to have effects. Manufacturers of wireless phones must
report the RF exposure level for each model of phone to the FCC. The FCC website
(
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety
) gives directions for locating the FCC identifica-
tion number on your phone so you can find your phone’s RF exposure level in the
online listing.
8. What has FDA done to measure the radiofrequency energy coming from
wireless phones ?
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is developing a technical
standard for measuring the radiofrequency energy (RF) exposure from wireless
phones and other wireless handsets with the participation and leadership of FDA
scientists and engineers. The standard, “Recommended Practice for Determining
the Spatial-Peak Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) in the Human Body Due to Wireless
Communications Devices: Experimental Techniques,” sets forth the first consistent
test methodology for measuring the rate at which RF is deposited in the heads of
wireless phone users. The test method uses a tissue-simulating model of the human
head. Standardized SAR test methodology is expected to greatly improve the con-
sistency of measurements made at different laboratories on the same phone. SAR is
the measurement of the amount of energy absorbed in tissue, either by the whole
body or a small part of the body. It is measured in watts/kg (or milliwatts/g) of
matter. This measurement is used to determine whether a wireless phone complies
with safety guidelines.
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9. What steps can I take to reduce my exposure to radiofrequency energy
from my wireless phone?
If there is a risk from these products—and at this point we do not know that there
is—it is probably very small. But if you are concerned about avoiding even potential
risks, you can take a few simple 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 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 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 standard will allow manufac-
turers 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 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. FDA
continues to monitor the use of wireless phones for possible interactions with other
medical devices. Should harmful interference be found to occur, FDA will conduct
testing to assess the interference and work to resolve the problem.
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