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FDA Consumer Update
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and
Radiological Health Consumer Update on Mobile Phones:
1. Do wireless phones pose a health hazard?
The available scientific evidence does not show that any health
problems are associated with using wireless phones. There is no
proof, however, that wireless phones are absolutely safe. Wireless
phones emit low levels of radiofrequency energy (RF) in the
microwave range while being used. They also emit very low levels
of RF when in the standby mode. Whereas high levels of RF can
produce health effects (by heating tissue), exposure to low level RF
that does not produce heating effects causes no known adverse
health effects. Many studies of low level RF exposures have not
found any biological effects. Some studies have suggested that
some biological effects may occur, but such findings have not been
confirmed by additional research. In some cases, other researchers
have had difficulty in reproducing those studies, or in determining
the reasons for inconsistent results.
2. 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 radiofrequency energy (RF) 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 do not justify FDA regulatory
actions, the FDA has urged the wireless phone industry to take a
number of steps, including the following:
● Support needed research into possible biological effects of RF
of the type emitted by wireless phones;
●
Design wireless phones in a way that minimizes any RF exposure
to the user that is not necessary for device function; and
● Cooperate in providing users of wireless phones with the best
possible information on possible effects of wireless phone use
on human health.
The FDA belongs to an interagency working group of the federal
agencies that have responsibility for different aspects of RF safety to
ensure coordinated efforts at the federal level. The following
agencies belong to this working group:
● National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
● Environmental Protection Agency
● Occupational Safety and Health Administration
● National Telecommunications and Information Administration
The National Institutes of Health participates in some interagency
working group activities, as well.
The FDA shares regulatory responsibilities for wireless phones with
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). All phones that are
sold in the United States must comply with FCC safety guidelines
that limit RF exposure. The FCC relies on the FDA and other health
agencies for safety questions about wireless phones.
The FCC also regulates the base stations that the wireless phone
networks rely upon. While these base stations operate at higher
power than do the wireless phones themselves, the RF exposures
that people get from these base stations are typically thousands of
times lower than those they can get from wireless phones. Base
stations are thus not the subject of the safety questions discussed in
this document.
Safety
Safety
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