Quick start guide

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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 Radio Frequency 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 Radio Frequency (RF) energy exposures. The FCC established these guidelines in consultation with the
FDA and the other federal health and safety agencies. The FCC limit for RF exposure from wireless phones 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 identification number on
your phone so you can find your phone’s RF exposure level in the online listing.
8. What has the FDA done to measure the Radio Frequency energy coming from wireless phones?
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is developing a technical standard for measuring the
Radio Frequency (RF) energy 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 consistency 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.
9. What steps can I take to reduce my exposure to Radio Frequency 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 Radio Frequency (RF) energy. 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 does 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 (RF) energy, 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?
Radio Frequency (RF) energy from wireless phones can interact with some electronic devices. For this reason, the
FDA helped develop a detailed test method to measure Electro Magnetic 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.