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website at http://www.fda.gov/cellphones.
You can also contact the FDA toll-free at [phone]
or (888) INFO-FDA. The FCC issued its own website
publication stating that “[t]here is no scientic 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 [phone] or
(888) CALL-FCC. The National Cancer Institute (“NCI”)
states that concerns about the potential health eects of
using cellular phones – “and specically 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 Specic 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
Consumer Information
tested by the manufacturer and certied to the FCC that
it does not exceed limits established by the FCC.
One of these limits is expressed as a Specic 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 value of a wireless
device while operating can be less than the reported SAR
value. This is because the SAR value may vary from call to
call, depending on factors such as proximity to a cell site,
the proximity of the wireless device to the body while in
use, and the use of hands-free devices.
For more information about SARs, see the FCC’s
OET Bulletins 56 and 65 at www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/
Engineering_Technology/Documents/bulletins,
www.fcc.gov/oet/ea. You may also wish to contact the
manufacturer of your wireless device.