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Safety
On the other hand, if the phone is mounted against the waist or other
part of the body during use, then that part of the body will absorb
more RF energy. Wireless phones marketed in the U.S. are required to
meet safety requirements regardless of whether they are used against
the head or against the body. Either configuration should result in
compliance with the safety limit.
Do wireless phone accessories that claim to shield
the head from RF radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions from
wireless phones, there is no reason to believe that accessories
that claim to shield the head from those emissions reduce risks.
Some products that claim to shield the user from RF absorption
use special phone cases, while others involve nothing more than
a metallic accessory attached to the phone. Studies have shown
that these products generally do not work as advertised. Unlike
“hands-free” kits, these so-called “shields” may interfere with proper
operation of the phone. The phone may be forced to boost its power
to compensate, leading to an increase in RF absorption. In February
2002, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charged two companies
that sold devices that claimed to protect wireless phone users from
radiation with making false and unsubstantiated claims. According to
FTC, these defendants lacked a reasonable basis to substantiate their
claim.
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.
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