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Safety
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 tissue-simulating model of the human head. Standardized
SAR test methodology is expected to greatly improve the
consistency of measurements made at different laboratories on
the same phone. SAR is the measurement of the amount of
energy absorbed in tissue, either by the whole body or a small
part of the body. It is measured in watts/kg (or milliwatts/g) of
matter. This measurement is used to determine whether a
wireless phone complies with safety guidelines.
9. What steps can I take to reduce my exposure to radio
frequency energy from my wireless phone?
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 you are
concerned about avoiding even potential risks, you can take a few
simple steps to minimize your exposure to Radio Frequency energy
(RF). Since time is a key factor in how much exposure a person
receives, reducing the amount of time spent using a wireless phone
will reduce RF exposure. If you must conduct extended
conversations by wireless phone every day, you could place more
distance between your body and the source of the RF, since the
exposure level drops off dramatically with distance. For example,
you could use a headset and carry the wireless phone away from
your body or use a wireless phone connected to a remote antenna.
Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that wireless phones
are harmful. But if you are concerned about the RF exposure from
these products, you can use measures like those described above
to reduce your RF exposure from wireless phone use.