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Safety Guidelines
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. The FDA and
the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association
(CTIA) have a formal Cooperative Research and Development
Agreement (CRADA) to do research on wireless phone
safety. The FDA provides the scientific oversight, obtaining
input from experts in government, industry, and academic
organizations. CTIA-funded research is conducted through
contracts with 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.
7. How can I find out how much radio frequency 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 radio frequency energy (RF) exposures. The FCC
established these guidelines in consultation with the 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 directions for locating
the FCC identification number on your phone so you can find
your phone’s RF exposure level in the online listing.
8. What has the FDA done to measure the radio frequency
energy coming from wireless phones?
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is
developing a technical standard for measuring the radio
frequency energy (RF) exposure from wireless phones and
other wireless handsets with the participation and leadership
of FDA scientists and engineers. The standard,
‘Recommended Practice for Determining the Spatial- Peak
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) in the Human Body Due to
Wireless Communications Devices: Experimental
Techniques,’ sets forth the first consistent test methodology
for measuring the rate at which RF is deposited in the heads
of wireless phone users. The test method uses a
tissuesimulating model of the human head. Standardized SAR
test methodology is expected to greatly improve the