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• Cooperate in providing users of
wireless phones with the best possible
information on possible effects of
wireless phone use on human health.
FDA belongs to an interagency working
group of the federal agencies that have
responsibility for different aspects of RF
safety to ensure coordinated efforts at the
federal level.
The following agencies belong to this
working group:
• National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Federal Communications Commission
• Occupational Safety and Health
Administration
• National Telecommunications and
Information Administration
The National Institutes of Health
participates in some inter-agency working
group activities, as well. FDA shares
regulatory responsibilities for wireless
phones with the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). All phones that are
sold in the United States must comply
with FCC safety guidelines that limit
RF exposure. FCC also regulates the
base stations that the wireless phone
networks rely upon. While these base
stations operate at higher power than
do the wireless phones themselves, the
RF exposures that people get from these
base stations are typically thousands of
times lower than those they can get from
wireless phones. Base stations are thus
not the subject of the safety questions
discussed in this document.
3. What kinds of phones are the subject
of this update?
The term “wireless phone” refers here to
hand-held wireless phones with built-in
antennas, often called “cell,” “mobile,” or
“PCS” phones.
SAFETY AND
WARRANTY
FDA CONSUMER
UPDATE
FDA CONSUMER
UPDATE
SAFETY AND
WARRANTY
