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seCtIon 13 HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION
Some groups sponsored by other national governments have advised that
children be discouraged from using wireless phones at all. For example,
the government in the United Kingdom distributed leaflets containing
such a recommendation in December 2000. They noted that no evidence
exists that using a wireless phone causes brain tumors or other ill effects.
Their recommendation to limit wireless phone use by children was strictly
precautionary; it was not based on scientific evidence that any health
hazardexists.
Do hands-free kits for wireless phones reduce risks from exposure to
RF emissions?
Since there are no known risks from exposure to RF emissions from wireless
phones, there is no reason to believe that hands-free kits reduce risks.
Hands-free kits can be used with wireless phones for convenience and
comfort. These systems reduce the absorption of RF energy in the head
because the phone, which is the source of the RF emissions, will not be
placed against the head. On the other hand, if the phone is mounted
against the waist or other part of the body during use, then that part of the
body will absorb more RF energy. Wireless phones marketed in the U.S. are
required to meet safety requirements regardless of whether they are used
against the head or against the body. Either configuration should result in
compliance with the safety limit.
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 Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). This standard
specifies test methods and performance requirements for hearing aids
and wireless phones so that no interference occurs when a person uses
a compatible phone and a compatible hearing aid at the same time. This
standard was approved by the IEEE in 2000.
FDA continues to monitor the use of wireless phones for possible
interactions with other medical devices. Should harmful interference be
found to occur, FDA will conduct testing to assess the interference and work
to resolve the problem.
Additional information on the safety of RF exposures from various sources
canbeobtainedfromthefollowingorganizations:
• FCCRFSafetyProgram:
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/
• EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA):
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/