Quick start guide

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Safety
5. What research is needed to
decide whether RF exposure from
wireless phones poses a health
risk?
A combination of laboratory studies
and epidemiological studies of people
actually using wireless phones would
provide some of the data that are
needed. Lifetime animal exposure
studies could be completed in a few
years. However, very large numbers of
animals would be needed to provide
reliable proof of a cancer promoting
effect, if one exists. Epidemiological
studies can provide data that is directly
applicable to human populations, but
ten or more years follow-up may be
needed to provide answers about some
health effects, such as cancer. This is
because the interval between the time
of exposure to a cancer-causing agent
and the time tumors develop - if they
do - may be many, many years. The
interpretation of epidemiological studies
is hampered by difficulties in measuring
actual RF exposure during day-to-day use
of wireless phones. Many factors affect
this measurement, such as the angle at
which the phone is held, or which model
of phone is used.
6. What is the FDA doing to find
out more about the possible health
effects of wireless phone RF?
The FDA is working with the U.S.
National Toxicology Program and with
groups of investigators around the
world to ensure that high priority animal
studies are conducted to address
important questions about the effects
of exposure to Radio Frequency (RF)
energy.