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products, you can use measures like those described above to reduce
your RF exposure from wireless phone use.
23. 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 radiofrequency energy (RF), 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.
24. What about wireless phone interference with medical
equipment?
Radiofrequency energy (RF) from wireless phones can interact with
some electronic devices. For this reason, FDA helped develop a
detailed test method to measure electromagnetic 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 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.
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 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.
FDA continues to monitor the use of wireless phones for possible
interactions with other medical devices. Should harmful interference
Section 4: Safety Guidelines and Warranty Information
4A: Safety 135