User's Manual

FDA Consumer Update

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)

Center for Devices and Radiological Health

Consumer Update on Mobile Phones:

1. What is the FDA's role concerning the

safety of wireless phones?

Under the law, the FDA does not review the safety of

radiation-emitting consumer products such as

wireless phones before they can be sold, as it does

with new drugs or medical devices. However, the

agency has authority to take action if wireless phones

are shown to emit Radio Frequency (RF) energy at a

level that is hazardous to the user. In such a case,

the FDA could require the manufacturers of wireless

phones to notify users of the health hazard and to

repair, replace, or recall the phones so that the

hazard no longer exists.

Although the existing scientific data does not justify

FDA regulatory actions, the FDA has urged the

wireless phone industry to take a number of steps,

including the following:

1. Support current and future research regarding

possible biological effects of the type of RF

emitted by wireless phones;

2. Design wireless phones in a way that

minimizes any RF exposure to the user that is

not necessary for device function; and

3. Cooperate in providing users of wireless

phones with complete and accurate

information regarding possible effects of

wireless phone use on human health and