Pantech Telus PN-8200 User Manual page 263

SAFETY INFORMATION
10. 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.
11. What about wireless phone interference with medical equipment?
Radiofrequency 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 hearing aids for interference from handheld 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 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.
For more information, please visit the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov/cellphones.
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