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120 Guidelines for Safe and Efficient Use
• support needed research into possible biological effects of RF of the type
emitted by mobile phones;
• design mobile phones in a way that minimizes any RF exposure to the user
that is not necessary for device function; and
• cooperate in providing mobile phone users with the best possible
information on what is known about possible effects of mobile phone use
on human health.
At the same time, FDA belongs to an interagency working group of the
federal agencies that have responsibility for different aspects of mobile phone
safety to ensure a coordinated effort at the federal level. These agencies are:
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Federal Communications Commission
• Occupational Health and Safety Administration
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration
• The National Institutes of Health also participates in this group.
In the absence of conclusive information about any possible risk,
what can concerned individuals do?
If there is a risk from these products--and at this point we do not know that
there is--it is probably very small. But if people are concerned about avoiding
even potential risks, there are simple steps they can take to do so. For
example, time is a key factor in how much exposure a person receives. Those
persons who spend long periods of time on their hand-held mobile phones
could consider holding lengthy conversations on conventional phones and
reserving the hand-held models for shorter conversations or for situations
when other types of phones are not available.
People who must conduct extended conversations in their cars every day
could switch to a type of mobile phone that places more distance between
their bodies and the source of the RF, since the exposure level drops off
dramatically with distance. For example, they could switch to:
• a mobile phone in which the antenna is located outside the vehicle,
• a hand-held phone with a built-in antenna connected to a different antenna
mounted on the outside of the car or built into a separate package, or
• aheadsetwitharemoteantennatoamobilephonecarriedatthewaist.
Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that mobile phones are harmful.
But if people are concerned about the radiofrequency energy from these
products, taking the simple precautions outlined above can reduce any
possible risk.