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American Academy of Audiology
11730 Plaza American Drive, Suite
300
Reston, VA 20190
Voice: (800) 222-2336
Email: info@audiology.org
Internet: www.audiology.org
National Institute on Deafness and
Other Communication Disorders
National Institutes of Health
31 Center Drive, MSC 2320
Bethesda, MD USA 20892-2320
Voice: (301) 496-7243
Email: nidcdinfo@nih.gov
Internet:
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing
National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health
Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg.
200 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20201
Voice: 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-
4674)
Internet:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nois
e/default.html
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 Radio Frequency
(RF) energy in the microwave range
while being used. They also emit
very low levels of RF when in
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
Radio Frequency (RF) energy 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.
Safety