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Safety
actions, FDA has urged the wireless phone industry to take a number
of steps, including the following:
Support needed research into possible biological effects of RF of
the type emitted by wireless phones;
Design wireless phones in a way that minimizes any RF exposure to
the user that is not necessary for device function; and
Cooperate in providing users of wireless phones with the best
possible information on possible effects of wireless phone use on
human health
FDA belongs to an interagency working group of the federal agencies
that have responsibility for different aspects of RF safety to ensure
coordinated efforts at the federal level. The following agencies belong
to this working group:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Communications Commission
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
The National Institutes of Health participates in some interagency
working group activities, as well.
FDA shares regulatory responsibilities for wireless phones with the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). All phones that are sold
in the United States must comply with FCC safety guidelines that limit
RF exposure. FCC relies on FDA and other health agencies for safety
questions about wireless phones.
FCC also regulates the base stations that the wireless phone networks
rely upon. While these base stations operate at higher power than
do the wireless phones themselves, the RF exposures that people
get from these base stations are typically thousands of times lower
than those they can get from wireless phones. Base stations are
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