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Do wireless phone accessories that
claim to shield
the head from RF radiation work?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF
emissions from wireless phones, there is no reason to
believe that accessories that claim to shield the head
from those emissions reduce risks. Some products
that claim to shield the user from RF absorption use
special phone cases, while others involve nothing
more than a metallic accessory attached to the phone.
Studies have shown that these products generally do
not work as advertised. Unlike "hand-free" kits, these
so-called "shields" may interfere with proper
operation of the phone. The phone may be forced to
boost its power to compensate, leading to an increase
in RF absorption. In February 2002, the Federal trade
Commission (FTC) charged two companies that sold
devices that claimed to protect wireless phone users
from radiation with making false and unsubstantiated
claims.
According to FTC, these defendants lacked a
reasonable basis to substantiate their claim.
What about wireless phone
interference with
medical equipment?
Radio frequency energy (RF) from wireless phones can
interact with some electronic devices. For this reason,
FDA helped develop a detailed test method to
measure electromagnetic interference (EMI) of
implanted cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators from
wireless telephones. This test method is now part of a
standard sponsored by the Association for the
Advancement of Medical instrumentation (AAMI). The
final draft, a joint effort by FDA, medical device
manufacturers, and many other groups, was
completed in late 2000. This standard will allow
manufacturers to ensure that cardiac pacemakers and
defibrillators are safe from wireless phone EMI. FDA
has tested wireless phones and helped develop a
voluntary standard sponsored by the Institute of