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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