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issued a website publication on health issues related
to cell phone usage where it states, “The scientific
community at large… believes that the weight of
scientific evidence does not show an association
between exposure to radio frequency (RF) from
cell phones and adverse health outcomes. Still the
scientific community does recommend conducting
additional research to address gaps in knowledge. That
research is being conducted around the world and FDA
continues to monitor developments in this field.” You
can access the FDA website at
http://www.fda.gov/
cellphones
. You can also contact the FDA toll-free
at
(888) 463-6332
or
(888) INFO-FDA
. The FCC
issued its own website publi cation stating that “[t]
here is no scientific evidence that proves that wireless
telephone usage can lead to cancer or other problems,
including headaches, dizziness or memory loss.” This
publication is available at
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/
consumerfacts/mobilephone.html
or through the
FCC at
(888) 225-5322
or
(888) CALL-FCC
. The National
Cancer Institute (“NCI”) states that concerns about the
potential health effects of using cellular phones – “and
specifically the suggestion that using a cell phone may
increase a person’s risk of developing brain cancer – are
not supported by a growing body of research on the
subject.” You can access NCI’s review of the research
at
http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/
NCI_Cancer_Bulletin_092308/page7
.
What does Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) mean?
In 1996, the FCC, working with the FDA, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other
agencies, established RF exposure safety guidelines for
wireless devices in the United States. Before a wireless
device 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 wireless device transmitting at its highest
power level in all tested frequency bands. Since
1996, the FCC has required that the SAR of handheld
wireless devices 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
