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12.Where can I find additional information?
For additional information, please refer to the following resources:
• FDA web page on wireless phones
(http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ phones/index.html)
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) RF Safety Pro-gram
(http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety)
• International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protec-tion
(http://www.icnirp.de)
• World Health Organization (WHO) International EMF Project
(http://www.who.int/emf)
• National Radiological Protection Board (UK)
(http://www.nrpb.org.uk/)
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SAFETY AND WARRANTY
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 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.
SAFETY AND WARRANTY
