User's Manual Part 3

(RF). FDA has been a leading participant in the World Health

Organization International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project

since its inception in 1996. An influential result of this work has

been the development of a detailed agenda of research needs that

has driven the establishment of new research programs around the

world. The Project has also helped develop a series of public

information documents on EMF issues. FDA and the Cellular

Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) have a formal

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to

do research on wireless phone safety. FDA provides the scientific

oversight, obtaining input from experts in government, industry,

and academic organizations. CTIA-funded research is conducted

through contracts to independent investigators. The initial

research will include both 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.

How can I find out how much

radiofrequency 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

radiofrequency energy (RF) exposures. FCC established these

guidelines in consultation with FDA and the other federal health

and safety agencies. The FCC limit for RF exposure from wireless

telephones 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